CSI new: life changes in a heartbeat
by nilescclover
Summary: One person can change the lives of many in a heartbeat. That's what Sid's new intern Chantelle does. Changes the lives of all she meets. new finished. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Life changes in a heartbeat

**Disclaimer**: don't own any of the CSI NY characters just taking them out for a while. All other characters make up.

**Authors notes:** this is my first story of the CSI NY. I have never been to NY or anywhere else that is mentioned in my story, so bear with me on that. This came to me in a dream. Please read and review. I want to know what you think about it, even if you hate it.

**1**

"Are you sure that's her?" asked the driver of a van as they followed a young woman from the bus stop at 54th street.

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, she's the one that killed that girl at the house, dragged her body, and put it in the trunk of her car. She drove over state lines and buried them in the park under the tree."

"We don't have the body."

"We will make her talk, we have our ways."

Sid spent most of his night in the morgue. He was glade to have his new intern show up this morning that way he could get some sleep before dawn. He showed her the papers that he needed typed for the next day. He yawned and turned in. He laid down on the couch in the small office while his intern typed away at his lap top.

The van slowly pulled up to the curb. "Are you sure you saw her go in there," the driver called as he pointed. He grabbed the passenger's binoculars from him.

"Yes, that's the door she went into."

"Why? That's the morgue."

"I don't know. She can't possibly work there."

"Maybe somebody found the body, maybe she's destroying it more." Said one of the men in the backseat as he leaned forward.

"Maybe she's in there stealing it back." The other man in the back called. "We have to get in there before….."

"But how do we do that? We can't just walk in there." The driver turned around to stare at the men in the back.

"I have an idea," one of the men in the back commented. "Here's how….."


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

"Rolling through, rolling through." Dr. Hawkes yelled, rolling yet another covered body towards Sid the morgue's medical examiner. Sid dressed in a oh so white lab coat came from a back room.

"What do we got now?" Hawkes rolled the odd shaped covered body on a cart towards the others that had been piling up all day. "This must have been the day to die."

"A bad day to be this guy." Hawkes commented as he slid the cart ahead of the others. "Mac needs a quick one on this. This looks to me a open and shut case but…" Hawkes lifts the plastic covering off the body. An axe was jammed in between the eyes of a man, an old axe, at that. "But that's never the case." Sid sighed not another long autopsy.

"I've only see two cases like this, one was in 1989 on Halloween. A stormy Halloween as a matter of fact it was….." Sid started on one of his story moods.

Hawkes shook his head_. Not another one of his stories._ "Sid the autopsy."

"Right," Sid went to his drawer to get something.

"Mac wants this one to fast. So we can catch this killer."

"I'll get to it as soon as….."

"Now would be nice." Hawkes broke in.

"Right well do." Sid turned to face Hawkes but he was gone. Sid shrugged, "Why does he always to that to me. Oh well, I guess it's me and you buddy." Sid didn't hear his intern walk up to see the body.

"This shouldn't be too hard to tell what killed that guy." Chantelle the newest intern said as she stepped right next to Sid. She was shorter then Sid and her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail. She wore one of Sid's coats so it was kind of long on her. She had to roll up the sleeves.

"Yes, but I need to make it official and get trace. That's an important part." The intern rolled her eyes. _Duh old man I know that already._ She shook her. Sid knew this intern might not stay long, they never did. He had oh about 17 interns this year. Most of them couldn't do the perfect job. They wanted to run the morgue and not listen to him.

"This should be fun getting this thing out of him," Sid said more to himself then to anyone. Sid walked around the body, thinking of away to remove the axe without causing too much more damaged. "We have a man in a business suit with armor axe sticking out of his head um….."

"Just pull it out, it's not like he'll feel it. He's already dead."

"Patience, patience my dear.."

"Yeah, yeah I know. Let me know when you decide to just pull it. I want to take pic…" the intern went back to the office area, which was only a room with a desk with a computer and a couch used as Sid's bed. Sid walked around the dead body one more time. Flashing lights made Sid turn, "Enough, enough."

"Sorry my first dead man," still flashing her camera stepped in closer. "I wanted some pics for my say scrap book." Before Sid could get on to her again she disappeared from his sight. Sid after dusting, tagging and removing all the trace he saw, placed his hands on the axe handle and pulled. Nothing.

He tried again, this time his own body made a grunting sound. "Come out….you stubborn piece of….gurr….uh….you piece of sh….."

At saying that, the axe let lose and Sid fell backward landing hard on the floor. "Ow…" Sid still on the floor didn't see the two farthest sheets rise….


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

"Where are we on this case Danny?" Mac asked as he walked in the lab.

"We don't have much to go on. We have some fibers and I'm running a fingerprint but…" Beeping sounds made both of the men turn. "It got a hit…" Danny reached for the print out. "SanRina Belvona, has a long list of priers."

"Take Flack with you, go see what this guy has to say." Mac gave his order as Hawkes approached. "Is that autopsy done yet?"

"Sid's working on it but I tracked down a lead that a SanRina Belvona, had an ax to grind with our victim Toby Burns."

"Danny and Flack just went over to find him."

"Both of the men worked for the high brokers in Jersey, and the victims brother works for the NJ crime lab. Can you believe that."

"Great." Mac said under his breath. Hawkes looked confused, then that comment dong on him.

"I guess we'll be working a long side them, again…" the last time these to teams worked together was the case of the Tanglewood boys.

Sid used the side of the table to get back to his feet. The sheet flapped back down. Sid shook his head, "It was nothing, just my imagination playing tricks on me for not sleeping like I should." He shook his head again. "Now where was I?" Sid whipped his head around, something wasn't right. He shook off the feeling. "Too much time alone."

Another flap came from behind Sid. "It's just the wind." Sid thought about that comment. "What, there's no…." he whipped around to see one of the supposed dead bodies sitting up. "What the….. that can't be I…." with the body bag still covering what was underneath the body got up off the table. Sid jumped back.

"How?"

"Shut up," yelled another so called 'fake' dead man. This one grabbed him from behind and held a knife to his neck.

"You scream you're a dead man, I will not hesitate to cut your throat and then cut you up into little pieces…."


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

Sid swallowed. "I…" The intern who heard all the commotion watched in horror as the attack happened. "I have to do something but what…" Chantelle opened the desk drawer. A light bulb went off. Staring right up at her from the drawer was a small gun.

Without even thinking about it, she picked it up. "I never used one," she blinked. "I…" she swallowed. "It's now or never." She had always seen her brother, ok step brother as she called him, use one in the woods behind their house but she had never actually held one until today that was. It was lighter then she thought it was going to be.

"Now I have to find some bullets for this thing cause I know it's not loaded or is it." She heard one of the men walking towards her. "I have to think and fast." She was surprised to find that it was loaded. "Who keeps a loaded gun in their office?" the steps came closer and closer. A pop and crashing of glass hitting the floor made the man with the knife turn towards the office. Sid took this opportunity to grab the knife but it slipped.

The knife split open Sid's arm and he had to pinch his eyes shut. He didn't want to scream but the pain was a little much. He bit down on his lip. He lay still on the floor so the man wouldn't notice him. The man didn't notice and ventured towards the sounds. He saw blood dripping from the side of the desk. "No…." screamed the man.

"Oh no… the intern is in there. I…" Sid tried to get up but he was too weak. The man turned around and took a look but did nothing. Sid swallowed. He thought for sure he was dead.

Mac, Stella and Lindsey went over and over the evidence with Adam. "We need that autopsy. Sid has to be done by now. Where is Hawkes?" Mac commanded.

"Here, I am. There's no answer down in the morgue." which was only in the basement of their building.

"Keep trying Hawkes we need that autopsy finished." Danny and Flack argued loudly about something that made Mac get up. Danny huffed and walked in the opposite direction then Flack. "What was that all about?" Mac asked his cop friend.

"Just a little disagreement about…." A gun shot rang out, then another. "Gun shots," yelled Flack, "Everyone down." Everyone in the room was on the floor in a heartbeat.

Flack, on his knees had his hand on his gun but the shots stopped. Only silence was heard. That was never a good sign. Hawkes swallowed. "Where did they come from?"

Flack shook his head, "Don't know," another shot blast rang out. "That sounded like it was from downstairs." Flack and Hawkes raced to the stairs, everyone started to follow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's notes: **

**This story was a dream of mine so it may be kind of weird. **

**Anything in italic are the thoughts and stories of the characters. Sorry for the short chapters more to come…please read and review.**

**5**

The intern stepped over the lifeless bodies that lay in front of her. She found Sid sitting up on the floor. His arm was wrapped in a blooded bandage.

"Sid …" she raced over to him. "Sid, are you?"

"I'm just fine. Are they?" he pointed in the direction of the office.

"I guess," Chantelle shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know." She took his left arm in her hand. "It looks bad, I'm calling an ambulance." The intern went to the phone but found it not working. "That's weird why doesn't it work?" she said to herself.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not going anyway. It's just a cut."

"You have too, you'll die."

"I won't." Sid's eyes rolled back.

"Well," the voice of the intern was shaky. she swallowed. She looked at the bloody rag that he was holding on his arm. That doesn't look good to me. "At least…."

"Just sew me up."

"What? I…"

"You have sewn up in an autopsy right?"

"Yeah, but that's a dead body." Explained the intern.

"Then pretend I'm dead."

"If we don't get you out of here you will be." Blood soaked through the cloth. "See,"

Sid looked down.

"I'll walk you through it." Sid started. "Take my belt from my pants and tie it around my arm next to the womb but not on it, squeeze it as tight as you can." Sid squinted his eyes shut in anticipation of the pain. "Now, in the desk drawer there's…" another grunt came from Sid. The intern got up and went to the office, fumbled around and found what she needed. "Got it."

"Now needle it up and string it through. Tie one end in a knot, then just sew." Sid's eyes rolled back again.

"Sid, stay with me now. Sid," Now the intern was getting worried. "Sid, talk to me."

"Aw…" Sid hissed as Chantelle slid the needle into his skin.

"Sorry…" Sid started to leave again. "Talk to me," the intern had to think quick, noticing that Sid had another scar on his other arm. That's it. "At least now you'll match," she tried to joke. She smiled. She was trying to get his mind off of the pain while she sewed him up. Talking always helped her. "Tell me about your right arm, how did you get that scar."

"What?"

"How did you get the scar…." She pointed at his right arm.

"Why?" Chantelle's mind: _this is not how I wanted him to talk but it will work, anything to get his mind off of the pain I know he feels._

"I just wanted to know where you got such a scar like that, I bit it has a story behind it."

"No one's ever asked me that before. No one seems to care."

"Well…" she smiled at him. From what she saw earlier no one wanted to hear his stories. _I bit he has lots to tell_. "I like to hear about it, well that is if you are willing to tell all."

"Really?" Sid swallowed, maybe talking about what happened to him would help him heal, but could he heal after all these years?

**Flash back of Sid's childhood days: **

_I turned 12 earlier that week. I walked in the front door from getting off the school bus. I noticed something was not right. Whenever our front door was open, that was not a good sign. I heard my mother screaming again. I threw my books in the front hallway and raced inside. My mother was in the kitchen and there he stood, my step father. See my real father died when I was only three he was in the army. But my step father, he was well let's just say he wasn't a nice man. _

_He beat my mother and me, and today was no different her face was covered in blood. She had a black eye, after seeing her like this for the hundredth time, I had to do something, what at that time I wasn't sure._

Sid squeezed his eyes again. Chantelle didn't know if he still felt all the pain or was it cause he had to remember. She was afraid he wasn't going to tell her the rest but he swallowed and continued with his story.

**Flash back continues: **

_I warned her to leave. Just pack up and leave but every time she would forgive him and he said he would do better. She did this again and again. I thought that being beaten almost to death she would have gotten it. Things never changed between them. I was sick of it. He hit her one time too many so I grabbed for the nearest thing. That happened to be a long kitchen knife. I knew my mother told me not to touch them but I had to do something anything. _

_He came towards me and I jammed the knife in him. I just snapped. I kept jamming it deeper and deeper. Twisting it as it went it. He fell over backwards. I'll never forget those eyes, staring back at me. I saw the last breathe that came from his body. I killed him. Me, little ol me, I was proud. I finally stood up to someone._

Tears slid down Sid's face, making his eyelashes stick together. The intern could image the horror look on Sid's face just after that. She just went through it herself.

_I will never forget those eyes…they will haunt me till the day I die. The neighbor called the 911 for us. An ambulance came to our house. They took my mother away. They wouldn't let me see her after that…. And she,_ he sniffed,

"And she never came back out, did she?" Sid shook his head. "That's why you don't like hospitals, you think the same thing is going to happen to you too." Sid never thought about it like that. He didn't like them cause it reminded about how he couldn't save his mother. He was supposed to take care of her and he failed. Or so he thought.

"I was supposed to save her and I…I failed."

"That wasn't right about what your father…"

"Step father." Sid corrected her.

"Step father then, he didn't have to take it out on you. How long did this go on before you…"

"Before I killed him. I say about maybe five years, maybe more." All the pain that man brought Sid was coming back to him. He had no control over his crying now, he had finally let out. He finally talked to some one about one of his darkest secrets. It was a burden lifted off his shoulders. Chantelle gingerly sewed the rather large, bloody gash on his upper arm shut. She gently tightened the thread and tied it. "There," she muttered, taking out some disinfectant and pouring it onto the wound. Sid hissed as white foam formed over the gash, but relaxed after a moment. "I…." He was going to tell her something when the morgue door banged open hitting the concrete wall.

"Police," yelled Flack. "Put your hands up, where I can see them."


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

The intern stepped away form Sid, holding up her hands.

"I'm fine Flack," Sid said. "Thanks to…." He gave a confused look at Chantelle. "I never got your name…."

"Just Chantelle," She offered Sid her hand and smiled at Flack. Flack's eyes lit up and he smiled. Which he never does to a stranger he meets. Flack's smile faded as he snapped back to why he was down in the morgue. "We…I heard gunshots."

"Yeah, you missed the show." Sid joked. To Flack gunshots were no joking matter.

"We have two bodies," called one of Flack's men. "Gunshot victims."

"Where's the gun," Flack said in a stern tone staring right at Chantelle. "What did you do with it?"

She shook her head, "I just threw it on the floor. Somewhere down that way." Chentelle pointed. "I threw it down after," she swallowed. "After I shot…." She had to be honest.

"You saved my life." Sid interrupted her. Flack just stood there confused.

"Wait she just said she shot someone, now your saying she saved you?" Flack questioned. Sid started to explain when Mac, Stella, Hawks, Lindsey and Danny rushed in. Stella saw Sid's bandaged arm.

"Sid," she hugged him. "Are you?"

"Thanks to Chantelle here." Sid winked at Chantelle. Flack's smile faded.

"I still need the whole story." Cantelle sat on the empty autopsy table.

"You see, I shot them…" she took a deep breath. She looked at all the people now standing with Sid in the morgue. She swallowed still trying to comprehend all that had happened. "I never killed anyone before I…." a tear formed in the corner of her eye. "I…" Chantelle blinked. "What have I done? I…."

Flack looked over at Mac who was staring at Chantelle. "I still have to arrest her Mac." "I have to take her to the station and get a official statement."

"Do what," Chantelle sniffed. "You have to sir." She walked up to Flack.

Flack told Chantelle to put her hands behind her back and started to read her, her rights. Flacks mind_: soft hands oh so soft, I would…._he shook the thoughts, _how can I think of a killer that way? What did I just say killer? Is she really? What if…._he blinked when Sid made an out bust.

"Why, she saved me and you have to arrest her. For what?" Sid tried to run towards Chantelle.

"Whoa there." Hawkes stepped in front of him.

"It's not fair," Sid shouted from behind Hawkes.

"I have too….It's…." Flack shook his head. "it's my job….it's the law."

"I understand. It will all work out." Chantelle winked at Sid. "Trust me…" she whispered.

"Well, can I….." Sid started. Flack saw tears streaming down from his eyes.

"Sure you can." Chantelle knew all Sid wanted was a hug. She was right. Sid hugged her.

"Thanks," he whispered. Chantelle smiled. Flack whirled her around towards the door of the morgue and gently pushed her.

"Parties over. Let's go."

"It's just begun." Mac called to his team. "We have a crime scene to work."

"And I thought I was going to get to go home." Danny complained.

"Not yet," Mac walked past Danny and patted him on the shoulder. "Not yet."


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

Outside the wind blew some. Flack gave her another push towards his car. Chantelle's could feel her senses start to act up. She could feel her face feel with heat. _Why are these feelings coming now? What is with this man? Do I know him? _An image of a young man formed in her head. Her heart started to shutter in her chest. She shook the thought. _It couldn't be. There's no way. I don't know this man. _

Flack crossed the street with her. "In the car," Flack said in his cop mood now that they reached the car. "Watch your head," Chantelle ducked as she slid in the back seat of the cop car. Flack shut the door. He sighed as he climbed in the front.

Flack's mind: _I hate this job sometimes._ He looked in his mirror. _She has to be telling the truth, I also believe Sid. I mean he has never lied to us. Maybe Mac and his team can find something…..anything. I have to trust in that. Something just doesn't fit here. Look at those innocent eyes, I…._he sighed_. there's something about her eyes but what?_

"You're having second thoughts about me aren't you." She asked noticing that he was just sitting there in his seat not doing anything.

"Huh?" Flack started the car and pulled out into mid day traffic.

"You guys think the worst about everyone." Chantelle looked out the window. "I don't blame any of you. I didn't and some what still don't trust people. All my life people have let me down. I thought by being in the morgue things would be different. They couldn't let me down, they couldn't make promises they would break, they couldn't talk back, nothing."

Chantelle sighed, "I just got to New York and look at the trouble I got into. I…." she sighed again, this time looking out the other window. "I killed someone….What away to start my new life over."

Flack' s mind: _start my new life over? What does she mean be that? There's more to this kid's story then, what she's been telling us. Something, that's in her past. Um….is she…. Don't go there Flack, _his mind told him. But he had to wonder.

_She likes to talk I see maybe she…._

_Flack don't. she's upset…_

_maybe she'll tell me everything…._

_don't do that Flack, it's not right._

_I should treat her different then any other criminal? _

_This is different and you know it. _

"I…" before she could say another word….there was a crash…glass shattered….


	8. Chapter 8

**8**

Chantelle was jolted forward then back. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Flack slumped over the steering wheel. Glass all over him, Chantelle couldn't tell if the window shield was gone or not. Chantelle, wiggled in her handcuffs, _I have to help him._

_I'll just get into more trouble _her mind responded

_but if he….well,_ she scooted up in her chair some. "Hey, cop man!" she yelled at the glass that separated them. no response. "Cop man," she yelled louder this time. Still nothing.

Chantelle's mind was racing, _is he….don't think that. I have to do something._ She kicked at the door. Stupid cop locked the doors. She scooted her back against the opposite door. If I can just…a little more…she kicked one more time, with all her strength. Whoo…. The push back made Chantelle fall back against the door, which gave way. She almost fell all the way out the door. _Well, I see that he didn't lock that one. Step two done, now for step three, _her mind raced again. She forced herself around and was able to get to her feet. Cars honked, some even severed to avoid another collisions. She backed up against the car. With her foot she shut the door that she came through and slowly made her way to his door. She struggled with the handle but was able to get it opened.

"Cop man," she pushed her shoulder against him. Still no response. I have to do something. "Help, help." She started to scream.

No one came to her help. _What is with this city no one helps anyone anymore_. Then Flack's cell phone rang. I have to reach it….the other door, no time. She reached down backwards, "a little farther. A little farther and I'll be in his lap."

_And that would be a bad thing_ her mind snuck in the thought.

Stop thinking like that. You have to help this man

"I have to reach that phone it might be my only help. I hate to go through this man's pocket but" she reached with all her might. "a little farther," she grunted. "Got it, now how do I answer it?" She placed the phone in her other hand. The both hands she pried it open.

"Don are you there?"

"Help," Chantelle screamed over her shoulder, still holding the phone behind her.

"Don?"

"No, Chantelle, help." She swallowed "We need help."

"Where?"

"I don't know, um….. accident, need help."

"Are you?"

"Still handcuff….yeah, I….we…got hit. Flack um…."

"Ambulance coming…"

Chantelle heard sirens coming closer. "I hear, them."

The EMT didn't ask Chantelle any questions. They just placed Flack on a gurney. Blood was covering most his face.

Mac didn't wait for the car to stop before he jumped out. "What the hell happened?"

"I…We…" Chantelle started.

"I'll go with Flack." Stella jumped in the back of the ambulance and the doors closed before Mac could argue with her.

"How's Flack?" Danny raced up just as the ambulance drove away.

"Doesn't look good. Stella went with him. Chantelle," Mac looked around. She was no where around.

"Chantelle, what does she have to do with all of these." Montana joined the team.

"Mac, look at this." Hawkes called from behind the back of the car. "There are no skid marks."

"How?" Messer asked confused. "Wait, that means he was stopped." something was wrong Mac had a feeling in his gut that something about this whole thing was…off. His gut told him to precede this with caution. Was what he thought correct? was….someone else involved?

"Maybe somebody….after us," Mac commented. "Or Chantelle." Everyone looks at him.

"What?" they all said at once.


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

Stella and Chantelle were not allowed to follow Flack.

"You'll have to wait here," yelled one of the nurses as they wheeled Flack through a double door that said emergency personal only. Chantelle turned at looked at Stella and saw a horrified look on her face. A Sharpe pain went through Chantelle from her head to her toes. Was all of this because of her? Chantelle lowered her head. _This is all my fault._ She sighed. Stella faced her.

"We'll have to sit out here I see." She took Chantelle by the arm and led her to the waiting room. Only a few people were there waiting. Stella saw a mother and child. She tried to sit a little ways away from them so they wouldn't notice that Chantelle was still in handcuffs. "Sit," Stella said softly but sternly. Chantelle did so. Stella sat in the chair next to her. "Tell me what happened." She cut her eyes at Chantelle "And don't lie to me." Chantelle told her what happened, everything up to the part where the car started to go spinning.

"I was shaken up after that but was able to collect myself. I got free and helped cop man. I just hope it was enough." She swallowed letting tears fall. Stella couldn't tell if she was faking it or she really meant the tears. Stella wrote in her notebook. _Do I believe her? I mean who makes this stuff up?_ Chantelle told Stella about the man she saw near them before the accident.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, umm… I remember him cause that face crept me out, like he…I don't know….knew me. I got a weird feeling about him." Chantelle sighed. "What's going on? Is someone after me?" Stella never thought about that maybe it was all about someone stalking or trying to kill Chantelle, not Chantelle trying to kill them.

"Ms. Bonasera." Called the nurse. Stella bolted straight out of her seat. "Yes," Stella looked back at Chantelle, she nodded without Stella having to say a word. "Go,"

"I'll be right back," Stella followed the nurse. Chantelle took a deep breath and lowered her head. She over heard the little girl a few chairs over ask her mommy why that woman, talking about her, had handcuffs on. The mother didn't answer but she and her kids moved across the room. That hurt Chantelle. _People who don't know me think I'm a harmful person. _

Stella and the nurse walked down the hall of the third floor. The nurse looked at Stella's face. She could tell that Stella was still on edge.

"He's lucky you acted fast cause…" Stella cut her off.

"Is he going to be ok?"

"If you asking if he's going to make it, he's going to be just fine. A little rest and he'll be back to normal." She smiled. "He's a little bruised, so don't panic when you see him."

Stella hesitated at the door for what felt like a long time. She finally opened the door.

"Stell…" Flack said as he turned his head towards the door. She smiled at him. The nurse was right he was bruised up but what does one expect from being hit by the steering wheel. "Come in come in," Flack waved his arm. "I know I must look scary," he laughed. Stella saw the look of pain in his eyes. "The nurse says I'll be out of here soon."

"You need rest but…" Flack knew what Stella was going to ask him so he did it for her.

"You need me to tell you what happened don't you?" she nodded.

"I hate…." She started.

"While it's still fresh in my mind I know. That's what we do all the time."

"Chantelle,"

"Where," Flack looked around, "Where is she?"

"She's fine, she's in the waiting room."

"You left her alone!" he shouted as he tried to get up out of his bed. Stella reached over and pushed him back.

"Not so fast. She's not going any where."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"I'll bring her in here." Stella went back down the waiting room. It was empty. No one was in there.


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

Stella's heart was beating fast. _Where could she have gone? Did someone kidnap her or…. _She shook her head. She took a deep breath. _Do not panic she has to be around here somewhere. _Stella walked up to the front desk where one of the nurses was on the phone.

"Excuse me," Stella said. The nurse, on the phone, put her finger in the air and told the person on the phone to hang on. She placed the phone on the desk.

"What can I do for you ma'am?"

"The girl I was with earlier, where did she go?" the nurse shrugged.

"I don't know ma am I just got up here, I didn't see anyone."

"Are you Ms. Bonasera?" asked another nurse who now approached the nurse's station.

"Yes," Stella sighed. "I was looking for the girl I was with."

"A Detective Tyler… Taylor, something like that, took her. He said that you would understand. He said he was with the New York Crime Lab police. He showed me his badge, so I thought it was ok." She looked at Stella, "Oh no, did I do something wrong." Stella shook her head.

"No, it's fine. I wonder why he didn't come and get me, that's all."

"Something about it being top secret, the less people knew the better. What ever that means." The nurse shrugged her shoulders, "Anyway, I told him that you were with your….partner I guess. He said that this was urgent and it couldn't wait."

"Thanks,"

"Really is everything alright, I don't want to get anyone into trouble."

"Oh, no it's all good." Stella turned back towards the elevator_. I wonder why he didn't tell me? What does he know? Something must have happened out there. Something serious. Is she in danger or all of us. _Don't think that Stella her mind told her. How can she not think of it, look what already happened. Sid, Flack and now…..who was next.

Stella walked in to Flack's room but he had his eyes shut. She slowly, not to wake him, walked over the plastic chairs and sat down. She took out her phone and text the info that she learned to Hawkes. Flack turned over, rubbing his eyes. "Stella it's good to see you. I was afraid no one was coming to see me."

"I just went out for a few minutes."

"You…."

"You don't remember talking to me do you?"

"I…." Stella could see tears starting to form in his eyes. He shook his head. "No, I…."

She took his hand. "It's all right, you're all right."

"Then how come I can't remember." He blinked his eyes. "I can't remember that you came to visit me." He sniffed. "What is wrong with me?" he rubbed his eyes. "What else do I not remember?" A nurse came in. Flack looked up at her.

"How are you doing detective?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Are you my nurse? How did I get here and why am I here?" The nurse looked confused. She then looked at Stella. Stella's face told all.

"You need some rest sir," she, with the tilt of her head, pointed to the door. That told Stella that she wanted to talk to her about this outside his room.

"I'll be right back, ok. I'm not going anywhere." Stella went to the door. Just outside the door the nurse and Stella talked.

"He needs to stay here for a few days just to make sure."

"Is he? Will he?"

"With head traumas anything's possible. I think it's just temporarily."

Stella sighed. What else could go wrong? She was now in fear of Flack's condition. Was it worse then they know? Did they even know what was wrong? She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"No worries, we will take care of him." The nurse tried to reassure her that everything was going to work out.


	11. Chapter 11

**11**

Mac led Chantelle, down a staircase be the way of a flashlight_. I hope he knows where we are going, cause I can't see a thing. _They entered into an empty warehouse like place with no windows. He guided her to the table and chairs "Sit here," Mac pushed Chantelle, somewhat hard Chantelle thought, down in one of the chairs.

"Sir," Chantelle started.

"Don't call me sir," Mac said sternly from behind her. That's one of Mac's rules no one who works for him to ever call him sir. Period.

"Sorry um… then what do I call you?" Chantelle tried to turn her head so she could see his face.

"It's detective Taylor…." He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Ummm…" she tried to look around. Boxes and boxes lined one area to her left. Stacked

up furniture lined the other side. Mac pushed her chair up to the table. She swallowed.

_Wherever this place is, I'm a prisoner. His prisoner. This place it's dirty and smells musty a basement maybe. But why a basement of all places?_ That one she didn't have the answer to. She tried to look at him again but he was just out of her vision of sight. _What's he planning to do with me?_ She swallowed again.

"How," she took a sigh of relieve when he moved to face her on the other side of the table. Now she could see him, watch him. "How long do I… we have to stay here?"

"Till we…. I know everything." Mac stared at Chantelle for a moment giving her an

intense stare.

"Everything?" she swallowed. "Umm…sir…" Mac gave a look that could kill. _Great I did it again I screwed up. I offended an officer of the law and probably the only one at this point that can help me._ She sighed, _look at the mess that I got myself into. I….._

She lowered her head. She didn't want to see that stare, the stare that she would never forget. "Sorry," she swallowed slowly looked back up at him. "I'm used to calling everyone that, I didn't mean to offend you mr…" she thought for a minute, good that's safe. Chantelle lowered her head again and sighed. Mac felt bad. They did things different in different states. Wait Mac didn't even know where she was from. He would have to ask her that one first. That's a good place to start he thought.

"Mr… detective… Taylor…um… I was wondering if I could come out of the handcuffs and get some water. My mouth is dry and my hands well I can't feel them." Chantelle gives him a soft smile one of her puppy eyed looks trying to play on the sympathy of a good man. She knew these people, the people she meet in the morgue, took care of one another. Something she hardly knew anything about.

"Don't move." Mac pointed, Chantelle swallowed. Something about his attitude told her, he was way serious. _What's he going to do with me? Look at this place it's not very…. I don't know friendly. _Mac reappeared with a plastic water bottle.

"Thanks," she smiled at him again_. If I keep that up maybe he wont think of me as a threat to him. _

**Mac's mind**_: What's with this girl? How can she be sweet one minute and kill someone the next. Don't let her play you, Mac, something about her is off._ His gut told him. He asked himself if he should let her out of the cuffs. _Yes, but be very cautious._ He walked up behind her.

Chantelle didn't know what to expect this time. _What is he going to do now?_ She squinted her eyes.

"I'll undo the cuffs," he said as he reached down to get them. "But…" _Here it comes there's always a but._ Chantelle swallowed. _What does he want?_

"You may not touch anything but that bottle in front of you."

"What else am I going to touch in here…" Chantelle thought about it. "Oh," she tried to look at him again but he was still standing behind her. "You."

"Right," he tighten her hands together tighter. She winced in pain.

"Deal, deal." The first thing that she did was twist off the top of the water bottle and drank. She drank about half of it before putting it down. _Wow, she was thirsty. It wasn't a play._

"Tell me about you." Mac asked nicely this time. His voice was smooth not stern. Chantelle liked it this way.

"What do you want to know?" she would tell him just a little bit, just to keep him interested.

"The truth would be nice." Chantelle nods and then is silent, looking off to something or somewhere no one can see but her. She sighed, she never told anyone the truth about her past but then again no one ever told her the whole truth.

"Like where are you from?" Mac asked noticing she was thinking hard. He thought she might be creating a lie.

"Where do you want me to start, I've been everywhere?"

**Mac's mind: **_What does she mean, she's been everywhere?_

"Start as far back as you can remember. Anything's helpful."

"The first thing I ever remember was…well lies."

"Lies," Mac had a confused look on his face. Chantelle took in a deep breath.

"Everyone. I grew up on lies. It all started when I was about five." She hesitated and looked over at him. "Wait a minute, you want me to tell you, so you can tell the jury all about me, don't you?" Chantelle crossed her arms in front of herself.

_Great, _Mac thought_. Now she thinks I'll use it against her. Apparently she doesn't trust anyone. How do I get her to trust me._

"No, it's off the record, we. ….. I want to know if there's something to help us." Chantelle blinked _should I trust him_…in her mind an image of the 'cop man' as she called Flack appeared_. I have to do if for him._ She smiled Mac took that as a good sign. Chantelle took another deep breath and continued on.

"I was about five, Amy my mother never told me who my father was, only that his name was Louie. I didn't at that time know much about him. We, my mother and me traveled a lot. So I'm not sure where I'm from." She shrugged her shoulders. "I mean I've traveled for a kid all over, I went school in Texas, Kansas and Miami that I know of." She smiled.

"So um…pick one." She laughed. Mac just watched her, he didn't want to interrupt her thoughts. She was on a roll which was good. After about a minute or two of pure silence past he asked, "Do you know why you moved a lot?"

"I'm not rally sure," she shook her head. "I mean my mom told me it was cause of her job but I had my doubts. I thought it might because of my father. My mother, never talk about him, and he was never around. I didn't know if he even existed. She told me that he was busy with his work all the time and he was a traveler like us. There was something that she was hiding from me, something deep.

Who's father never comes to visit them? Not once. I never got to visit him at work either, which was odd. I would have liked that, even if it was just once. Just to say see his face." Chantelle looked at the ceiling and then back down at Mac. "At one time we stay at a beach house in Miami, we stated there the longest….a whole two years. I wasn't sure what my mom did for a living but it must have paid well. We always had money. Then I found the envelopes."

Mac had that curious look on his face at that statement. "What kind of envelopes?"

"Big yellow ones, they came from a L.M. of New Jersey. At first, I didn't think to much about it. I just thought it had to do with my moms business. Well, one day," she cut her eyes his direction. "You have to remember that I was a kid and didn't know all the laws, when I was at home off from school alone one arrived. I decided I wanted answers, so I opened it. A bundle of money fell out. I didn't know what to think. Why were these envelopes coming here? Then I remembered my mother said my dad's name was Louie. I thought it might be from him, but why? Why would he send us money but not a visit? I couldn't understand that. I mean the man couldn't even show his face, what's with that? Was he ashamed of us….me…" Chantelle lowered her head again.

"So he sent you money?"

"Yeah but I never know what he did and my mom never wanted to talk about him. I thought it was someone she didn't want to have contact with. Maybe someone that hurt her in the past." Chantelle shrugged again. "I thought we would stay in Miami for a while longer, I was just getting use to it when…. once again we moved. I was nine when we moved here."

"You mean New York?"

"Yeah. I went to see the trade center. That was amazing. I rode the elevator to every floor, all the way up." Chantelle pointed up, "And all the way down." She pointed back down. "My mother was pissed at me though, but I was a kid. I had to have some fun. I remember going to the statue of Liberty, now that was a sight too." Chantelle loved to talk about the good days that she had. There wasn't all that many of them. "The people looked like little ants on the ground, so so small." She wiped he hand down her face. "That's when I got news about my father…."

"Did he?" Mac questioned. He thought he knew the answer to that one already but Chantelle surprised him.

"At this point in my life, I didn't know." Chantelle shrugged. "I heard my mother on the phone, she was yelling. The first time, I ignored it. I thought it was a normal thing. But then they kept coming, the phone calls were all the time. Sometimes they were real loud and others not so loud. One day I stood behind a corner to listen. She told who ever it was on the phone that she didn't know where Messer was. She slammed the phone down, I ran to my room. I was scared at that time. I sat on my bed and cried myself to sleep. Later that night I got to thinking about the envelopes that came. LM. Maybe that wasn't my father, but why would she lie? Maybe this Messer guy, who ever he really was wanted his money back, maybe he was following us….who, knew. The next day at school I talked to my friend Sam about all of this. See her father was a cop. I asked her to look up Louie Messer. I just wanted to know if that person existed. I told her that might be my dad. I had no idea. I told her my mom lied to me about all of this. Sam told me that she would look into it for me. Now I might get somewhere….only did I know."


	12. Chapter 12

**12**

"There were five of them. Sam's father made me a poster with some pics on it. I took a look at the people on it. I couldn't tell, one was really old…that was in a kids eyes. One looked like a homeless thing that the cat dragged up from the sea. So I looked at the last three. One was blond blue eyed, I shook that one out of my mind. The last two…well one have black hair and the other one brown so it was hard. I got info on both. One the black haired man was in prison and the other one was in a gang."

Chantelle watched Mac. He was wiggling in his chair. _Does he know something about one or both of these men._

"I went to my mother trying to get more info but she didn't answer me. She looked scared though. I got to thinking that the person in the gang would do me more harm…..he would be the one maybe to send the money. Hush money maybe…..then I got the news form Sam's father that the Messer in prison hung himself the day I got the poster. I didn't know what to think. I didn't know if this info got out and he couldn't handle it or that man he was just….ordinary man."

"A consequence you mean?"

"Um…" Chantelle had to think about that word. "Yeah," She sighed again. "I felt bad either way. I either had a dead dad or one that was in a gang. I don't know which one was worse. I…" She could feel tears started to form. "Cried that night. Either way, I'll never get to know my dad…I mean one's dead and the other might be running for his. Maybe that's why he traveled a lot I don't know."

Mac never thought about that. Was Louie Messer, Danny's brother on the run? "I had nightmares," Mac looked up from his thoughts. "about both men. The scarcest….was the one in the gang. What if one of them came after me…..I had one of those deep gut feelings." She took another deep breath and swallowed. "I went to my mother, I ask her to be honest about everything, she held back…

she told me that my father was gone for good this time. When I asked her about being with a gang she changed the subject. I could read it in her eyes, that she knew more much more. I was scared; I didn't know what to do. When I got home from school the next afternoon." She swallowed hard.

"The front door….let's just say it was gone and…" Chantelle closed her eyes and squeezed them tight. Mac knew that something bad had happened. She swallowed. "Blood was everywhere, I ran…."

"And never looked back…" Mac finished her sentence for her. Chantelle nodded.

She rubbed her eyes. "I ran for my life and…." She was hesitant cause she knew what she said next might land her in more trouble with the law and this detective Taylor guy. She picked up her water bottle and drank the rest of the water. "I ran away from New York, well, hitched a ride. I was maybe 9 or was I now 10….anyway, I had to get away. I thought I might be next. I went to Miami to find my friends but…"

"Let me guess they were gone."

"No, but remember we were kids…" She smiled. "I meet up with her. I also found out that Sam the cop's daughter and her brother, Don where there. Don told us it was wrong but we…."

"Did it anyway, right?'

"Yes, s…Mr." She did it, she stopped herself from calling him sir. He smiled.

Boy, did he have a great smile. so friendly, so understanding and so trusting. She thought that she could now tell him everything.

"We drove, ok Don drove us around. We…us girls sat in the back and talked about everything. Then….a drunk hit us….and….." A tear slid down her cheek leaving a wet line. Her eyelids stuck together.

"I'm sorry…." _He sounds sincere but wait till he hears the rest of what I have to say we…I did…_Chantelle wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "I…" she sniffed. "I have more to tell you…"

"I'm…" he pauses fro a second, and stares, examining her. Chantelle swallows_. I what's he thinking of me now? The guy already hates me for killing those people in his morgue._ She sighs. _What's he going to think when I tell him the rest of the story. I'm surely going to go down this time._

"I'm listening_._" He said.

"I took…" Chantelle blinked her eyes. "I took her….identity."

"Who's?" Mac was confused but he thought about it. _So her name is not Chantelle. Then what is it? She's been fooling everyone. I otta arrest her now…wait Mac at least hear the rest of the story his gut told him._

"I became a new person. I tried to hide. Don told me that, Chantelle and me were so close that we could have been sisters separated at birth. I thought about that, he was right. We kind of looked like each other so… I thought since she, rest her soul, was dead she wouldn't need it." she lowered her head. "I know now that it was wrong but I was scared."

"So you took on the name Chentelle after your friend."

"Yes," She blinked, remembering her friend. "Chantelle Sunnterra," She stared at Mac, trying to read him. But nothing. He was straight faced with her. "I…she was four years older then me…. I…" she lowered her head. "I took off after helping Don and his sister out of the car. Chantelle, it was too late for so after she died in my arms," she swallowed.

"I took her body and buried under the tree in the park. I used her name and left." She looked up at him again. "I wondered the streets for a few days. I was picked up by some cops in…. wherever I was, somewhere in Texas. I was sent to an orphanage and the next day…." She smiled. In her eyes Mac saw a sparkle.

"I got a new family. This family took four of us. We moved to New Jersey. They thought I was 15. So I went to high school. I struggled some but I just thought that was life. At 19, really only 14 and ½ , my second parents died. I applied for a lab intern but was denied, so I went to some college at night. I worked in a small dinner in the day. Life was well, looking good. I reapplied for the intern job. I got a call for an interview a week ago."

"With Sid." She smiled,

"Yeah, that was the happiest day. I wanted someone to think I made something of my life. Then when he said I was in the top five, I couldn't believe it."

"Then he hired you."

"Till yesterday that was. I guess I wont have a job anymore. I guess I'll….I guess my life's over…." She sighed. She couldn't tell if it was a good sigh or a bad one.

"Well," Mac didn't know what to say to her. "So how are you now?"

"19…Detective…" she swallowed. "I'm sorry I lied about who I was….but I….I just wanted a new start. Everyone deserves a new start."

"What's your real name?"

"Well," she stood up. Mac got nervous. _What's she thinking? What's she going to do? I don't want to have to shoot her…._he had his hand on his gun just in case she attacked him. She walked to the end of the room and back. She placed her hands behind her back and started pacing back and forth. "Angel, but I guess I'm a Messer too. I don't know since my father never married my real mother, I don't guess." She shrugged. "I…who am I? Her name was Amy Bell." She sat back down in front of detective Taylor. "Am I a Bell or a Messer? I mean how does that work?"

"Well, I….We have to find out about your father first."

"You know where he is?" she sounded excited. "Where, where."

"I'll have to find out…."

"You and your connections will do that?" she smiled. Mac saw a twinkle in her eye again. "I don't know much I just know that he might have a brother, I don't know if that helps."

"Do you know this brothers name?" Mac already had an idea of who that would be….Danny.

"Dan or Danny but when I looked that name up there was about 20 in this area alone. I didn't have time to go looking to much….cause of the accident in the lab….."

"Morgue…" Mac corrected her.

"Morgue, sorry." She watched him for a minute. "Wait, I read that there was one in a crime lab…..like the one I was in." she shook her head. "There's no way…."

"What if there was…."

"What?" she questioned Mac, staring at him. "If you know something….." she leaned back. "Never mind. I'll never know either one of them." she started to cry again. "But…If I had the chance too… I take it." She sighed heavily "I know it's never going to happen."

"I'll see what I can do." Mac felt his pocket vibrate. "I can't promise but I'll see what I can find out."

"Really, you do that?" she swallowed. Everything came with a price though. "At what price?" she blinked. "At least let me see him once before you haul me off for good…."

Mac sighed, the evidence was added up for her…_I have a law to up hold….but….what really happened in that morgue only Angel and possibly Sid would know. I have to get Sid's story. As for my phone vibrating this whole time…_

he took the phone from his pocket and read the id on it. It was coming from the lab. "I got to go."

"Mr…detective Taylor…." He turned to face her. "I got to thinking."

"Yes,"

"Um…both times I was there when Sid and Cop man…."

"His name is Flack. Don Flack."

**Angels' mind:** _What did he just say, Flack….Don….why does that name sound familiar…nah that would be just to weird. But then again this whole story…_

"Cop Flack then….where was I?" she closed her eyes to think. "Oh yeah their accidents could they be because of me? Could you be next? I mean you talked to me too. What if I'm being followed….."

"Um…." Mac rubbed his chin. "That's interesting." He never thought of that. What if they all were in danger? Was he next and what about his other team members? What if one of the TangleWood boys were after Chentelle….Angel?


	13. Chapter 13

**13**

Danny had that spaced out look on his face as he sat waiting in the hard uncomfortable

hospital chairs in the hospital lobby. He and Lindsey stopped by to visit Flack. Stella was still with him, after his little episode she was not leaving until someone was there with him at all times.

"Why wont they let us all go see him? I want to know how he is." Montana knew that Stella, Hawkes, Flack, Mac and Danny had been like a close-knit family. She too, after being transferred here could feel that she was part of this family. These people, Mac's team, they had something special. She could tell that Danny was heartbroken inside. Even if he didn't deliberately show emotion Montana could tell.

She slowly snaked her fingers between his. She could hear a slow sigh escaped his lips. He slowly looked down at their hand together. She noticed on his face a smile forming and that special glow she liked to see on him. He turned his face towards hers. He opened his shut eyes. One lonely tear dripped from the corner of his eye. She reached up and wiped it away with her other hand. Danny swallowed.

_**Danny's mind**__: What is she trying to do to me? That makes me crazy…_..he shook the thoughts. _Remember this touch when you sleep tonight…._his mind told him.

"You know that you can let it all out." She smiled at him. "Don't hold back." He sniffed,

"I know it's just….." Montana didn't know anything about his brother who fought for his life more then once here in this hospital. Danny started to have a flashback about those days and it scared him. He couldn't go through it again. Montana noticed his eyes were starting to gloss over. There was pain and loss. She knew all to well about pain and loss.

"You are his friend." That he was, Flack had helped Danny get through his tough times so he wanted to be there for him. He couldn't lose Flack.

"I want…"

"You will get to see him. Just…." Before Montana could finish her sentence Stella started walking up to them. In a heart beat Montana let go of Danny's hand.

"Flack has been asking about you Danny." She said when she got closer to them. "Would you like to see him?"

"See him." Danny jumped to his feet. He turned to look at Montana. He whispered a 'thank you'. She nodded. "Go," Stella lead him to see Flack. Danny stood outside Flack's door and watched him through the window. Danny swallowed. Last time he saw anyone in this bad shape was when his brother was fighting for his life. Danny blinked.

"You don't want to go in and see him?" Stella questioned. Danny sighed.

"My brother…" Stella patted him on the back.

"I remember that." She smiled, "Flack's resting, he's fine." Stella didn't tell anyone about Flack not remembering her visit earlier. She didn't want to upset them and she promised Flack she wouldn't tell. "and so will you." She winked. Danny had to get up the nerve again.

_I can do this. I can do this. I have to face my fears on people in hospital beds. He's not in the shape my brother was, Stella told me his just resting_. Stella admired Danny for being so strong. This had to be hard on him, she thought. He placed his hand on the doorknob. He took one last deep breath. Then slowly opened the glass door to Flack's room. Danny swallowed. Flack looked up and smiled at his friend.

"Messer, come in come in." he waved his hands. Danny looked back but Stella was gone. _I did it. I faced one of my fears, one of my biggest ones._ He was now able to relax some. He sat in one of the orange chairs that the hospitals provided for visitors. It was a little better then the ones out front but not by much.

"Messer, I know this was hard for you to come in here to see me after…" Flack didn't finish his sentence. He didn't want to upset Danny again. He knew that that still might be a sore subject. "I'm proud that you did." That, made Danny feel really, really good. "I'll be fine. I'll be out of here soon maybe tomorrow." He sighed. He was ready to get out of this place. "I have to stay to make sure that everything's good to go. Why I don't know I feel fine. Everything seems to be working." He laughed.

"Mac's…." Danny started, he was frustrated seeing his friend laying in a hospital bed. He swallowed.

"Mac's going to figure all this out he always does." Flack commented.

"I know but I…we." He looked at his friend. "Should be helping him." Danny sighed. "If we could find him. Stella told me that he did one of his disappearing acts again."

Flack noticed Mac, as if on cue, now standing at the door window smiling at them.

"Mac's going to be fine, he knows what he needs to do." Danny sighed.

"I know it's just…" Danny lowered his head. "I wish that I could help him. It's like he's shutting us out. I know that he doesn't mean to, it's just…."

"Frustrating, I know. But Mac had his reasons, maybe he…." Flack remembered about seeing Danny not being able to do much for him, but be there. "he will find who ever did this or he'll die trying." Flack looked at Mac still not seen by Danny. "All will be good. We all will be good." Mac nodded. Flack smiled. Danny seeing his friend smile knew someone was standing there behind him. He turned to see Mac standing at the window watching the two of them. Danny faced Flack again.

"How long has he been standing there?"

"Just about a second." Danny glared his stare at Flack. "I swear." The door opened, Mac stepped forward.

"I didn't want to interrupt you guys," nurse Betty came in after Mac.

"Ok men, you." She sighed. "If you don't mind…my…Flack here needs to rest." Flack remembered who she was this time. Betty, no loss of memory this time, he smiled. Maybe that thing earlier with Stella was a fluke. So far so good, that means I get to go home today.

"Do I now?" he grinned and raised his eyebrows in an attempt to flirt with nurse Betty.

She giggled. Danny and Mac shook their heads.

"Yes, Don, you need to rest." Mac commented in his fatherly voice.

"Ah man, I thought…" Betty giggled again. Mac rolled his eyes.

"We will be back later, don't get into trouble." Danny pointed at finger at him.

Flack laughed. "Look at me, how much trouble," he looked at his nurse and smiled. "Can I get into?" Mac patted Danny on the shoulder as he walked to the door. Danny knew, that Mac was proud of him as well. Mac hesitated to tell the younger man that his brother had a daughter. Mac's gut told him to be sure first. Then they would have a talk with him and his brother. _The next thing we have to do is find Louie. That should be fun._


	14. Chapter 14

**14**

"Stella, Lindsey…" Hawkes called as he got off the elevator. "Where's Mac?"

"Haven't seen him." Lindsey shook her head.

"He disappeared again. One of his things." Stella commented. "He'll then show up unexpectedly."

"Well, I have something to show you guys." He started walking with them to Adam's work area. "When I was down in autopsy I asked for cameras to be put up."

"What? For what?" Lindsey asked.

"Where they working?" Stella knew that this might be the break in the case they needed.

"Yes, that's what I wanted to show you. Adam just got them working last week. I forgot all about them." Hawkes looked at Adam.

"The picture's kind of jumpy but…"

"Just play the tape for us Adam." Stella commanded the lab worker to do.

"Right." Adam popped opened his lap top and pushed play. Lindsey, Stella and Hawkes gathered around behind him as the first images from the camera started to form.

"Wait go back…" Hawkes pointed at one of the men in the room "That can't be Daniel Cadence." Adam cut his eyes to Hawkes, "Who's that?"

"The man…" Hawkes swallowed. "The man that killed…" before he could finish, Lindsey raced out of the room.

"Lindsey?" Stella called after her, still confused about who this man was…then it accrued to her that it might have something to do with the man that killed all her friends. "Hawkes was that?" Hawkes nodded a silent yes.

"I'll be back."

"I still have more to show you."

"Later Adam." Stella followed Lindsey.

Lindsey burst into the ladies room and slammed a stall door. When Stella got there she heard Lindsey crying.

"Lindsey," she heard Lindsey sniff. "You know who that man was, don't you?" Lindsey sniffed again. She let out a long breath.

"I thought I was safe…" another sniff. "I thought he was gone."

"Who was he?"

"Remember how I told you about." Lindsey swallowed. "The murders of my," a loud sob was heard. "Friends."

"Yes, they put the guy away. He's on death row right?"

"He was supposed to be…" Lindsey opened her stall.

"Wait a minute, that was…." Stella looked in her sobbing red eyes, "that was him?"

She took the younger woman in her arms, "Oh Lindsey, I'm sorry."

Lindsey sniffed. "I thought all of that was behind me."

She blinked away more tears.

"It's over now though." Stella tried to joke. Lindsey pulled back and smiled.

"Come on we have to finish that tape."

"Are you sure?" Stella stared at her friend. "I mean…" Stella wasn't sure that she was ready to face that tape again. _I know that she's not quite over this, not this fast. You never really get over something so horrible. I think that she wants to be brave._

"I really ok, I'm ready to put this behind me." Lindsey took a deep breath as she pushed the ladies door open to see Hawkes and Adam waiting. Stella nodded,

"Everything's seems to be fine."

"What do we have?" Mac questioned as he and Danny walked in the lab.

"A video you need to watch with us." Adam called.

"I know that man." Danny called out as he touched the screen. Adam gave Danny a look. He hated people touching his computer screen. "That's…" Danny looked in Montana's direction. She nodded.

"That's one of the so called 'fake' dead bodies." Hawkes went on. "We id him…." Danny swallowed, he knew that this might upset Montana to hear that name again and what was that monster doing out. Danny shook his head. He wanted to murder that man the first time he saw him at the murder trial. He was still looking in the direction of Montana.

"The other man we don't know." Hawkes continued on. "But at the autopsy we found that both the men had the tanglewood tattoos." Everyone looked over in Danny's direction.

He shook his head. "He doesn't look familiar at all but…"

Mac stepped closer to him. "Do you think that your brother might know?" he whispered as the rest of the video played. "I don't know." Danny answered back.


	15. Chapter 15

**15**

Angel aka Chentelle paced the back and forth. "Why am I here? I have to get out." She tried the doorknob. "Great the Detective guy locked me in here, why? Am I that dangerous? I… " she had a flashback, seeing the life drain from the men's eyes. "I'm a monster, I killed someone but he was about to…." She swallowed. "Now everyone thinks the worst of me." She sighed. "Now I'm a prisoner, here with no escape. Ah…." She tried the door again with no luck. She then started to pace back and forth again.

"I guess I will have to wait for that detective guy to come back, whenever that will be. What am I suppose to do just sit in that chair all day or is it night now. Um…." A thought came to mind as she past the set of boxes for the hundredth time. "What's in those boxes?" She slowly found one that she could reach for. She placed it on the table and started to open it. "Ah…." She jumped back and her heart rate skyrocketed after seeing a rat jump out at her. She wasn't used to a rat the size of a small cat. "Wow, living large here."

After that she saw in the bottom on the box old papers, some who had the corners chewed. Some of them, all of them actually were black and white pictures. "Who would store old files and pics." She moved so much in her life that she never kept anything like that. "I guess this junk belongs to somebody and has meaning to them." She shook her head. "To me this is just junk. Where's the good stuff? Or do all of these boxed contain the same things." She moved more and boxes out of the way.

Her eyes lit up. "A bed frame," she called out. "If I can only get it free," the frame started to come lose. "Just a little farther." It scraped some of the floor and then let all the way free. "Timber," the bed frame came crashing to the floor, right next to where Angel was standing, with a bang. "I don't think anyone heard that?" she sighed. I'm all alone." Behind the frame Angel saw a mattress. "That works I guess." She pushed the mattress down as well. It bounced on the frame.

She laid down on it. "Not the softest one but not bad either, much softer then that table." She looked back at the table she had been sitting at. "Now just if there was a blanket and pillow. She saw a box. "I'll do one more." She pulled the back the tape. "Here goes." Slowly opened the flaps. "I don't want anymore surprises." No rats jumped out but she did get a surprise-two pillows and a blanket. "Now for a nap." She climbed on the bed, put the cover on her and soon was asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**16**

Flack looked around his room. The same four walls he had been looking at for days it felt like. He was tired of just laying there with nothing to do. No real work. "I'm going crazy. I'm going to get out of here, next time the shift change accrues. I can't stand it." He sat up. His body was stiff. "That will go away as soon as I start moving." He quickly laid back down when his door opened.

"When can I go home?" he complained to the nurse.

"Soon maybe tomorrow." Betty his favorite nurse's voice said. "I know it's hard but people with head injuries, they have to stay longer." She walked up to the bed. "I'll fluff up your pillow before I go." She made him sit somewhat up, slid her hands behind his neck to get his pillow. "Only if you promise you will behave."

"I will. I just…" she place the pillow back behind him.

"I know you want to be back on the streets."

"That I do." He sighed.

"All you cops are like that." She shook her head as she left his room. She turned right around before she closed the door, "Behave now." She pointed her finger at him. _Only if she knew._ Flack smiled an evil grin. He sat up.

"Now how do I…." The overhead intercom came on, code blue in 409, code blue in 409.

"Excellent um…sorry not for them…." Flack got to his feet. "I'm out of here." He crept slowly to the door, turned the knob and walked out in the hall. He quickly looked to the left then the right to see if anyone was coming. No one. "Perfect timing." He turned the corner.

He saw nurses and Drs racing all around. "Now's my chance…" Flack raced with them, he was not seen in the confusion. He stopped after he made it through the crowd. "My head…." he reached up with his hands. His eyes started to get blurry and his head started spinning, he grabbed on to the chart but was unable to hold on, down he went.


	17. Chapter 17

**17**

Angel's leg started hurting so she turned over. With a heavy sigh she went back to sleep.

_**Dream**__:_

_The car rolled to a stop right in front of the old abandon school. Samantha Flack got out. She walked up to her friends. "Chantelle, Angel. Let's go my brother," Don waved out the window on his blue two-door car. "has agreed to take us around some." _

"_Are you sure this is ok to do?" Don, who was always good in his parents' eyes, asked._

"Oh big brother," Sam said as she and her friends got in the backseat of the car. "All we are going to do is drive around the park a couple of times, that's all. We need a little girl talk time." She smiled at her brother. "I haven't seen them in like forever. When she called….I…."

"_That's just great." He commented. _

"_It's not like you were going to do anything anyway." Sam rolled her eyes at her brother._

"_I was thinking about going out with some of my friends."_

"_My point exactly." She slammed the door behind her._

"_Hey, watch it." He yelled. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. If he didn't help his sister he knew she would tell and that would be the end of the car, the end of his freedom. At 17 having a car was a big thing; he didn't want to have it ruined by something so stupid. He sighed. "Where to?" He looked back at all three of them seating in the back. _

"_I don't know around the park, a few times maybe."_

"_A few times?" he stared mainly at his sister._

"_Yes, it's girl talk. It might take awhile." Don faced the front. "What have I got myself into?" He whispered to himself. He slowly pulled out into the light traffic. The girls went on and on talking, more like jabbering about everything. Don tried to tune them out some. _

"_How come you girls talk so much?"_

"_We…I have a lot to say." Angel shot back at him. "I got a lot going on." She wiped her face. "Girlfriends are the best to talk to about what problems you have."_

"_Guys don't get together just to talk."_

"_That's the difference between us Don, you were never a good listener." Sam shot back._

"_What did you say?" all three girl laughed._

"_Men, I never want to date them." Chantelle said, shaking her head._

"_Never say never," Angel smiled, she knew that Don was watching her. She had a little crush on him but no one would ever know. Don drove around some, the first time crying and sobs filled the backseat._

"_How long will this go on?" Don asked out loud, more to himself then to them._

"_Just drive brother." His sister sat forward and slapped him on the back on the shoulders. Sprinkles started to fall on the windshield. "Ah…not that." The three girls got out of the car when he stopped at a red light near the park. "Don't get out in the rain." Don complained. "you know you always get sick and this time, I'll get blamed."_

"_We will be right back in a few minutes, we want to walk in the rain a minute."_

"_But…." Then the light turned green._

"_We need this time alone, just go park the car." Don put on his blinker and pulled into a space near the playground._

"_A few minutes, then I'm leaving." He threatened them. That never really worked with his sister though. She knew that he did that all the time but never went though with any of them. _

Angel felt wetness near her face but thought it was part of her dream.

_Then lighting stuck down. The girls ran for the car, and jumped in. Don smiled. They actually did what they said they were going to do. The car was warm. Nice and warm and safe. _

"_I told you that it was going to get bad out here. Now can we get out of here?"_

"_Not yet." Chantelle cried. "I want to talk some more."_

"Fine, one more time around but then we're going home." Don said, he was getting tired of driving them around. He wanted to be doing something with his friends.

"_Thanks Don," Angel leaned forward in her seat and kissed him on the back on his neck. "you're a sweetie."_

"_Not so close, the driver needs his space." By the time the second round was half way over, there was laughing and cutting up in the back. _

"That's funny," Chantelle laughed.

"Pet's are always funny, they don't even know they are doing it." Sam added.

"Yeah, Rover never gets tired of casing his own tail." Even Don laughed at that one.

"Go faster Don," Chantelle called. "There's no one out here but us."

"I will not speed for fun." Don turned around to look at them. "Besides it's wet."

Angel yawned. Sam looked at her.

"You're right Angel." She stared back in confusion. "It's getting late, we better call it a night." _Finally_, Don thought _now I can get home and away from the girls._ Green light after green light, Don was able to coast some.

"Almost home."

"Don…Look out!" Chantelle screamed as a white pick-up truck slammed into them. Glass shattered as Don tried to gain control of his car.

"Hold on." But that did not good, the car flipped over on it's top. The white truck tried to get back on the road but he over corrected his truck and hit Don's car for the second time causing it to start spinning, "Whoa…." Everyone yelled. The car spun and spun, round and round it went. The top smashing down even more.

"Don……" Angel screamed.


	18. Chapter 18

**18**

"Angel……" Don screamed holding his arms out in mid air. Betty heard him screaming at the top of his lungs and ran inside the room. Why was he calling my daughter's name? Does he know that she died years ago or did she? Betty walked over to his side and gently shook him.

"Flack baby wake up."

"No….Angel come back…." Flack bolted straight up in his bed. Taking a deep breath, then other. Flack patted himself of the chest and waist. He wiped his face down with his hands. He blinked a few times. "What? Where? Who?"

"You were just having a bad dream." Betty told him between sniffles of her own. Flack swallowed. He shook his head. "That was no dream." He tried to get his breathing back to normal. "That was a nightmare that I lived as a teenager." He sniffed. "I was remembering all of it."

"Can I ask you one thing?" she looked into his eyes. She saw there was pain hidden, like he was holding on to a secret.

"Sure, I suppose." Don swallowed.

"Why where you calling my…." Betty started crying again. "Late…." She sniffed, then the sobbing came.

"Daughters name in your sleep. Was she part of your nightmare?" Don blinked now he was confused. He thought he was calling Angel's name. _That's her mother._ He swallowed. _Oh,_ he smiled, _no wonder she's…..just like Angel…..just as sweet_. He stared at her for what seemed to be forever before answering her. _She needs to know that it was._ He lowered his head.

"I…." he sighed a big sigh. "Yes," he finally choked out. "Angel Bell was….a friend of my sisters…we…" before he could start his story he noticed his friends at the window.

Flack smiled as them as they came through the door. The first thing that Hawkes noticed was the hands and the breathing of his friend.

"What was with all the hand gestures?" Hawkes asked.

"I…I was just remembering something from my past." Don continued to look at Betty the nurse.

"Must have been scary if we could hear you all the down the hall." Sid commented.

"You heard me that far?" Don had a sheepish look to his face.

"Yeah, we saw that the nurse was in here with you,"

"We didn't want to interrupt anything." Hawkes finished up for Sid.

They both took a seat in the uncomfortable chairs. Hawkes looked over at the nurse. _She looks like she has been crying. What is going on in here? _

"Want to talk about it?" Sid offered. Don thought about that. _It would help me understand why I was thinking about that today. It's not even close to the ann…._he took in a deep breath…_the anniversary_. _So why am I thinking about it._ _Thinking about her…._Flack shook his head. Hawkes and Sid took that to mean that he didn't want to talk about it. Flack swallowed. _It was easier to talk about his dream with his friends support._ He sighed again. _Where do I start though. _

"As I was about to tell…." Flack looked over at the nurse he knew as Betty. "Betty about my dream."

"My real name is Amy…..Amy Bell. I changed if just after my daughter vanished…."

"What happened to her?" Flack asked after getting over the shock of how she lied to him.

"I came home one day and she was gone," Amy swallowed, "Blood was everywhere, I just assumed that…." She shook her head. "My boyfriend slash fiancé at that time was in a gang, I just assumed that they killed her, so I ran. I took on another name." she sighed out loud, "Angel my baby, she was only…" she swallowed, "She was 9 ½ ." She sniffed and buried her head in her hands.

"What?" Don had to catch his breath. "You are telling me that I was the last one to see your daughter alive?"

"What?" Amy looked over at Flack. "What do you say?"

"I drove…. them, …Angel Bell, Chantelle something another and Sam my sister around that…..that night."

"How long ago was that?" Amy questioned him. She was about to get some answers that she seeked after all these years.

"Oh, um…let's see I was 17 ½ um…that would be about 11, 12 years ago."

"That's almost the time she….vanished without a trace."

"Can you tell me what happened that night?" she looked up at him. "That's only if you don't mind." Flack hesitated for a minute. _Was that the person who pulled me…_ he sighed. _Is that the person who saved my life?_ A tear went down his cheek. _If it was her, her mother should know that she was a hero. _

"I, on my sisters request, picked up her friends Angel and Chantelle." _Why does that name sound familiar to me? Wait that's our suspects name, _he shook the thought _that can't be her._ "At the old abandon school."

"Where was this school?"

"I was on spring break in Miami."

"She wonder all that way over there?"

"That I don't know, my sister asked me if I could drive them around near the park, she told me they needed girl talk time." He laughed at that now. "She said her friends called and wanted to meet, I having the only car in the family at that time….had to take her. They talked a long time as I drove them around. Then…." Flack lowered his head some.

"That's when….it happened. That's when our lives were changed in a heartbeat. That's when we were hit by a drunk driver, our car flipped and spun around several times."

"I bet that was scary," Hawkes commented.

"Too scary." Flack added.

"I….my father did the wreckage. They never found the two girls, just Sam and me. My sister, later told me that Angel pulled us out of the car. She didn't remember seeing Chantelle or Angel after that. She said she thinks that Angel went back for Chantelle and…." He sniffed. He blinked. "I remember hearing an explosion and seeing a smoke filled car…" he closed his eyes and started sobbing. Hawkes never saw him break down and cry before.

"Did she burn up in the car?" Sid asked.

"I don't know," Don shook his head. "I ended up in the hospital with my sister and…..we never talked about it again." He took at deep breath and glanced over at Amy.

"I'm alive…" he swallowed. "I'm alive because of you daughter…."

"It seems to me that she was your guardian Angel, Flack." Flack smiled at Hawkes.

"I…I'm…" he sniffed, then glanced back at Amy, who had her head down crying softly. He handed her a tissue, she took it and blew her nose. She tossed it in the trashcan next to the bed. "I'm so sorry…" he reached out for her hand. She took his hand in hers.

"Don't me son," she sniffed loudly. "I needed to know what happened." Don wiped away a tear from his eye, "That's when I vowed to myself I was going to become a cop. So maybe I could prevent this from happened to someone else." The nurse patted him on shoulder, "And I thank you."

"Then who's blood was that in your house?" Sid asked thinking back to how this story got started.

"That's a good question, I thought it was my daughters…that's why I ran here.."

"Maybe she thought the same thing of you." Hawkes added.

"I never looked at it that way….both our lives were changed in a heartbeat that day…." Amy blinked, "I never got to tell her that I loved her."

Mac, Stella, Danny and Lindsey, had been out in the hallway the whole time that Flack was telling his story. Mac now had away to tell if that was her daughter or not. He had to get that tissue before the clean up crew but he knew that nurse wouldn't allow all of them in that room at once. He had to try. He opened the door and all of them just walked right on in.

"You know….I can't let you all in here at once." Said the nurse but then seeing the looks of disappointment on the faces as they started back out the door, "Alright, I'll do it this one time but you can't stay to long."

"Thank you." Mac shook her hand, now knowing who she really was. _If this turns out to be her mother then I have to tell Angel that her mother was alive._ When no one was looking at him, Mac bend down and took the used tissue out of the garbage can. He put it in his pocket.


	19. Chapter 19

**19**

"Who is this Don and why am I calling his name?" Angel called out to the empty room she was in. "Why am I reaching out to him, do I even know a Don? I can't remember one."

Angel shook her head and blinked a few times. She sat on the edge of the bed for a moment trying to comprehend all of this. She put her head into her hands. Why am I having these dreams? And who are you Don? Where do I know you from?" she sighed. "Why am I having this memory all of a sudden…." She thought for a second. "I know that you were in the car, but who are you? Sam said you where her brother but….why were you there?"

She got up and tried the door again. Frustrated, she knocked over some box, more old photos and stuff fell out. One was a picture taken back in 1990 of a group of cops. Angel pick up the picture and went back to the bed. She sat down staring at the photo. "Looks like some kind of picnic and baseball game,"

**Flashback:**

_Angel walked down the crowded hall to her next class with her friends Chantelle and Samantha. _

"_Last class of the day. Hooray,"_

"_Not for me," Chantelle called, "I have to do a make up test next."_

"_Yeah," Samantha added. "My dad has to work late again so that means that I have to sit and wait on my brother after school today. He has baseball practice yuck."_

"_Are they any good this year?"_

"_Who knows, I never watched them. They did ok job last year." Sam faced her friends. _

"_Do you want to keep me company this afternoon?" she had a pleading look in her eyes._

"_Well," Angel thought for a minute. "I have to wait some this afternoon, so why not." She shrugged her shoulders. "I usually wait in the library but I could go out to the field and wait with you some. It might be fun watching some guys get dirty." __**Angel's mind: Yeah, this will be fun, watching guys. It might give me the chance to meet someone.**_

"_What ever, there are no cute ones on the team. Well last year there wasn't." Sam said as she stepped into her classroom door. "See you when the bell rings." Both the other girls nodded. Angel met Sam near the practice field. "I always seat on the bleachers away from the dugout." Some of the boys waved as they headed out onto the field._

"_They do that every time I'm here. I think it's to annoy my brother. Anyway, have a seat." Angel took a seat on the hard wooden benches that were set up for watchers. _

"_Does anyone come to watch them practice?" Chantelle asked._

"_Not that I know of, but that's ok. Lots of people come to the games though. Even though none are played here."_

"_Then why…." Angel wanted to know why people went out of their way just to watch them._

"_Set up boys," yelled the fat bald man, who was carrying the bats, as he walked across the field. _

"_That's the coach," Angel laughed, "No wonder…."_

"_Don your up first." The coach called as the boys lined up._

"_That's my brother," Sam waved at him. Don just shook his head. She could tell that he also rolled his eyes. That was something he did all the time when he saw his sister. The boy next to him whispered something to him. _

"_Dad's working late again isn't he?" he questioned when he passed Sam and Angel on his way to home plate._

"_Yes, that's why we're here." Don smiled at Angel. "This is my friend Angel." He looked at Angel and she looked at him. Their gazes held for what seemed to be a long time._

"_Let's go Don, Now!" yelled the coach. Don winked. _

"_I have to go, nice to meet you Angel."_

"_Same…" she turned to look at Sam, "I think." She whispered._

"Now, I remember who you were." Angel smiled at the thought. I had such a crush on you after that day. "I wonder what ever happened to Don," she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could feel tears starting to form. "I wonder what ever happened to you, Sam." She touched her Angel pendent that was around her neck. "I miss the two of you. You were my only friends…." She wiped her eyes with here hands. She touched the necklace again. "I remember the packed that we made with each other…..

**Flashback: **

_Sam, Angel and Chantelle met for lunch in the cafeteria which none of them ever did. They sat near the far window, with trays of food in front of them._

"_I thought I try this food once, while I'm here." Angel said. "This will be the last day that I'll be in this school."_

"_Why do you have to move again?" Chantelle asked with a sigh._

"_I don't really know, my mom didn't really go into details." Sam just sat there all quite. She didn't know what to say. She was losing her best friend. Tears streamed from her eyes. "Sam, don't start crying on me now."_

"_I can't help it." She sobbed. "I'm losing…" she sniffed. "I'm losing my best friends." She continued to cry. _

"_I don't want to leave." Angel swallowed. Tears were now forming in her eyes as well._

"_Then run away." Chantelle said. "You can stay with me."_

"_I wish I could but…." Angel bent her head down. "I can't leave my mom. I wish…." She wiped her eyes. "Let's make a promise," All three girls held out their hands. "Let's promise that we will never forget each other. We will stay connected always, no matter where we go."_

"_Deal," Chantelle called. "We are sisters till the end."_

"_Three sisters. A bond that can't ever be broken." There was an award silence, then all of a sudden one of those awful, poignant sobs from all three girls. No one can cry like us girls, no one. It's done with all of the heart, nothing held back, the end of existence. _

_Then the silence came again. Was this really the end? _


	20. Chapter 20

**20**

"I remember the next day was the hardest day of my life." Angel sighed. "That was the day that my life changed. That's the last time that I saw my friends…." Angel blinked remember was hard. Something she didn't like to do but this was not going to go by. She couldn't forget her friends. She wouldn't.

"I had that hard English midterm that day. Oh that thing was a killer. I knew that I had flunked it but I didn't care. The only thing I wanted to do was meet with my friends. I bought them something to remind them of me…."

**Flashback: **

_Chantelle and Sam sat outside on the bleachers waiting on Angel to get done with her exam._

"_She did say right here, right?" Chantelle asked as she squirmed again trying to get comfortable. _

"Yes, it's not quite the time she gave us but it's close." Sam answered as she too was wondering if Angel was going to show up. She was late by ten minutes now. If she…. Angel walked up to them breaking off Sam's thoughts.

"Sorry I'm late, my exam was hard. I thought I never finish." Her friends smiled. "I guess this is that last time that we will see each other for awhile. So," Angel sat down between them. "I brought something for you, both of you." She handed each one of them a box. "This is a necklace, that way you will never forget me." The girls opened the boxes at the same time. "This, will help you remember me by." She showed the one she had to them as well. They laughed. "It's a guardian angel pendent necklace. If you are down touch it and remember that a friend is near. I will be there in your hearts… remember me always…"

Sam fumbled with her necklace as she looked in the mirror. She sighed. "Another day that I'm late." She whined. "I wonder what ever happened to you, Angel?" she blinked,

"I could sure use a friend right now." She combed her hair and then rushed out the door.

After making his way outside to his car with Stella, Mac noticed that the same green van was parked near the curb. _I have to wonder why is that van still there? Are we being followed? _He shook the thought when Stella got back out of the car and asked him what was wrong.

"It's nothing, I was just thinking." Mac commented.

"Can you think in here? I…." Mac opened his door and climbed in.

"There's something odd about that green van over there." Mac pointed.

"What are you thinking?" Mac didn't answer her he just drove. He looked in his mirror. _That same green van, now it moving, ummmm… I think that they are following us but to make sure…. _Stella could tell from the look on his face that something was bothering Mac.

"What is it Mac?" she stared directly at him. "Tell me what is on your mind?"

Mac looked once again at his mirror. The green van was still with them in the line of traffic. _I have to know for sure, there's only one way to know…..detour…._ He made a detour turning to his right.

"Mac, the lab is the other way. Why turn?" Stella questioned looking out the window.

"We're being followed." Finally answered her question.

"What?" Stella practically shouted at him. "By who?"

"That I don't know," Stella reached in her pocket to get her cell phone.

"We have to warn the others,"

"Stella," Mac slammed on the breaks for a red light. Stella's cell phone went flying from her hands. It landed on the floor near her feet. "Don't."

"Why?" Stella asked as she picked up her cell phone from the floor. "I…"

"They….maybe tracking our cells too. Tell everyone to head back to the lab. Don't tell them why though. I need them all there." Stella understanding what Mac was saying, dialed Lindsey and then Hawkes. She told them to meet her at the lab to go over some evidence.


	21. Chapter 21

**21**

Everyone gathered in Mac's office.

"So, what's this new evidence Mac? Why call a meeting?" Hawkes asked, as he and Sid were the last to arrive at the lab.

"Someone has been following us," Mac explained. "Well, me."

"What? Who and for how long?" Montana looked at Mac then at Danny.

"I'm not sure who but I think they have been watching me….us since…." Mac took a deep breath. "the accident in the morgue with Sid."

"Wait you don't think…." Hawkes and Sid exchange looks at each other. Mac shrugs his shoulders.

"Could be. Not for certain." Danny knew that Mac had a good idea that it might be one of the members of the Tanglewood gang. He had to find his brother and fast.

"I have to find my brother,"

"No wait Danny," Mac called, "we have to think about this."

"Your brother, what does he have to with this?" Montana asked looking at Danny confused. Danny knew that it was time to tell Montana about his brother. Danny swallowed.

"Louie my older brother was in….well a…..he hung out with the wrong crowds when we were younger." Lindsey shook her head.

"The tanglewood boys…." Danny shut his eyes, sighed and then lowered his head. Montana took that as a yes. "Were you involved?" she gave him a stare that shook him to his core. He blinked then lifted his head up to look at her.

"I drove my brother one time, to meet his friends. He told me to get lost, that this was too much for me, he…" Danny sighed again. "He threatened me, he pushed me down and I ran." He sniffed. "Later on they beat…" he started to cry. "They beat him to a pulp," he blinked again. "He was on his death bed….." he tried to hold back the tears but they kept coming. He sniffed again.

"Oh, Danny," she went up to him and patted him on the shoulder. "I….I didn't know."

He sniffed and he looked over at her. She looked in his eyes. "Now you know why I hate hospitals." He smiled.

"Is he…." Sid asked, who had never heard this story either.

Danny shook his head. "No most of the gang….two are dead and the other one is in prison, and then my brother."

"So that was all of them?" Sid asked.

"I guess there could have been more, I don't know. That's the only ones I saw that night." Danny commented.

"If that's who's following us, is Chantelle one of them?" Asked Stella who was edging closer to Mac.

"That's…" Mac swallowed. "That's what I don't know, I need to talk to her but…."

Mac sat down at his desk. "I have to find away to get to her without being followed."

"Is she safe where she is?" _where ever that is_. Stella wonder.

"For now she is….but I can't be followed."

"We need a decoy," Hawkes called. Mac rubbed his chin. "Ummmm." He looked down at a file on his desk. It was the old file on Samantha Flack. His eyebrows lit up.

"You have that look Mac." Stella walked around to see what he was looking at. "Flack's sister. What does she have….."

He shut the file, "Nothing, that's another case. An old one… but maybe…"

"Mac, what are you thinking? You can't ask her to be the decoy…." Stella shook her head. "That's not right."

"No, but I need her help. Hawkes, you and Danny go to the police station, use their help in finding your brother. That way the phones can't be traced back to us as easily. Lindsey, you, Adam and Stella come with me I need your help."


	22. Chapter 22

**22**

"Mac are you sure this is going to work?" Asked Stella looking at the body bag.

"Just zip me up, then place me in the back of the car. I need to know if they are following just me or will they start following you as well."

"But what if…." Lindsey started to say then stopped when Mac stared one of his glares over at her.

"Stella you drive," he continued on. "Lindsey you sit in the front. I will be in the back. Remember act as normal as you can. Use the mirrors only. They seem to be driving a green van."

"I…." Stella tried to protest against him but thought better of it. When Mac had an idea about something you better just let him finish it out. Stella, Adam and Lindsey lifted the body bag with Mac in it, up and placed it in the back of the car.

"Wow a body in a bag is heavy," Adam said, "no wonder they use the charts," he could hear Mac laughing at him.

"Adam…." Stella started but stopped. She got the feeling that someone was watching them.

"Sorry, it was heavy." Adam shut the back door of the car.

"Look," Montana said. "I see the green van that Mac was talking about. They are watching us."

"Now let's see if they follow or not." Stella called as she got in the driver's seat.

Montana, who was seating in the front of the car, shook her head.

"Is there something wrong?" Stella looked over at Lindsey.

"My head it hurts a little, it's nothing."

"Here we go." Stella pulled out of the parking lot. She didn't see the van follow. "I guess they aren't taking the bait Mac."

"Give it a minute," Mac responded, "Sometimes they are slow. They don't want you to know that they are following you."

"I see," Stella looks over at Lindsey who is still shaking her head some. "Are you sure that you are ok, you…." Before she can finish Lindsey rolls her window down.

"I think I'm going to puke…"

"Not in my car." Mac yelled from the backseat.

"You want me to stop." Stella turned to look at her friend again.

"Not in the middle of the street." Lindsey said. But Stella did it anyway. Lindsey opened the door and puked in the street. Cars honked behind them.

"Go around," Stella yelled out her window.

"Lindsey are you going to be alright," she nodded at Stella.

"I think I'm coming down with something." Stella wondered about that, for Lindsey hadn't been herself lately. Na, she's…..that's her business. Stella continued to drive down the streets of New York turning where Mac told her to turn. Stella didn't see any green van following them.

"So far nothing. Now what? Do we go to where Chantelle is?" Lindsey's cell phone went off. She reached in her pocket to see who would be calling her.

"It's Danny, should I answer it?"

"No," Mac said. "Take a left at the 22nd street and then right at 5th that will lead you to Main, go to the third light then take a left that will lead you to the police station that I sent Danny to." So that's what Stella did.

"Now, Lindsey you go in and see what Danny wants, Stella stay here with me. Just in case we were followed."

As soon as Lindsey was out of sight Mac told Stella to lock the doors and don't open them for anyone.

"Who's car is that?" a cop calls to his partner as he points to Stella's car. "I have never seen it before."

"I don't know. Maybe we should check it out." The partner said as they both walked towards the unmarked car. One of the men knocks on the window. "Who are you?" he asked. Stella thinking it was all right rolled down the window. "Stella what are you doing down here?"

"Waiting on Lindsey a friend of ours."

"Ours?" the other man said looking around.

"These folks are from the crime lab." His partner patted him. "Someone we knew."

A man watched through his binoculars as they continued to talk.

"That's them…" he said into his cell phone. "They have a body bag with them in the back."

"Follow them…." said the gruffly voice on the other end of the phone. Then there was a click. The man in the car threw down the phone in the front seat and continued to watch the cops talk to this woman.


	23. Chapter 23

**23**

"We will find him Danny." Lindsey reassured him as she climbed back in Mac's car,

"Don't worry." Danny sighed and shook his head. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. Was his brother part of all of this?

"Did Danny find his brother?" Mac asked.

Lindsey shook her head, "Not yet, they're still looking."

"Let's head back to the lab." Stella suggested. "I don't think we are being followed." She turned to face the direction of Mac.

"Then we shall go see Chantelle," Mac responded. He didn't tell them that that was not her name. He would do that later when they got there. Stella pulled out of the parking lot while Lindsey waved at Danny who was still standing just outside the door to the station. Stella didn't notice that a white car was following her out of the parking lot.

"How am I going to stop them with all the cops around." Said the man in the white car out loud. "Um…" He looked at his front seat. The shotgun was staring back at him, taunting him. _Pick me up and fire at them._ The gun seemed to be saying. "Maybe if I shoot at them. Just to scare them a little. No harm in that." The man picks up the gun.

"I'll only shoot once. So at the next intersection…." He shot a couple of times out his window. Lindsey looked in her mirror and swallowed. Lindsey heard another ding and then another. "We are being shot at Mac." Stella cried. More shots followed. Lindsey could hear them bouncing off the trunk. One shattered the window on top of Mac. They both jumped in their seats. "Stella, Lindsey." Yelled Mac. Then there was a loud pop. "The tires. They're shooting out the tires. Hold on." Stella held tight to the wheel trying to keep the car on the road but it didn't help. The car went spinning. "Mac…"

"lay the seats back," they did just as another shot rang out. This one shattered the front window.

"Hit the button on the dashboard. The red one." Stella reached up and hit the button. It was a panic button that Mac installed in all the cars over the summer, it warns other cops that one of their own was in trouble. Mac could hear sirens wailing out. _It works_ he thought. _Good deal. _Cops swarmed the area. Tires screeched away.

"Montana, Stella." Both Danny and Hawkes screamed as they raced to the car that was now slowing down its spin.

"You guys," Hawkes questioned then stopped after seeing the body bag in the back of the car. _What the?_ He thought and feared the worst. He swallowed what was he going to find in that. Hawkes had to know what or who was in the bag. He slipped his hand under some of the seat and reached for the zipper. As he slowly pulled the zipper he could see a man's face, he could believe it. "Mac." He yelled in shock as he jumped back.

"What? Is Mac?" Danny raced to the other side of the car next to Hawkes. "Where's Mac?"

"Right here, in here." Mac answered them. Danny let out a deep breath seeing that his boss was all right. "I'm not even going to ask what you are doing in there?"

"Are you?" Hawkes asked him.

"I'm…" Mac made a slight grunt and squinted his eyes.

"Sorry Mac." Stella called for the front. "Hawkes help me sit this seat back up right."

Hawkes and Danny got Stella's seat back to its original position.

"Much better," called Mac. "Now, I'm fine." After Danny helped Lindsey get her seat fix back right, she got out of the car, walked a few feet then puked again. Danny rushed to her side. "Are you?" she nodded and then puked again.

"I guess not." He answered his own question. She turned to look at him.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"We need to take you to the hospital Montana."

"I'm fine, Danny…" she turned away from him, bent over and puked once more. He wasn't going to let this one slip by. Something was wrong and he was going to find out what.

"Now, lets go." He took her by the arm.

"But…" she tried to protest but she heard Mac demand that Danny take her and she knew that she was going to have to go.

"Hawkes drive Stella and me back to the lab so I can get out of this thing. We are being followed so take…" Mac gave Hawkes the directions to take.


	24. Chapter 24

**24**

Sam rushes into the bar.

"Sorry, Lenny. I over slept."

"I'll talk to you about that later girl, right now I need help."

Sam serves up some drinks. After the crowd dies down some, Lenny walks up the Sam who is still holding a tray full of empty glasses.

"You brother called today. Something about being in the hospital."

"What?" she dropped the tray she was carrying, last time he was in the hospital he had to be sewn up after being hit by a bomb. "I have to go," Sam yelled and was out the door in a split second.

"Wait…" Lenny called after her but he was to late.

"Man," said one of the other bartenders. "What a mess…"

"My fault, son. Let's just get this cleaned up." He bent down to pick some of the glass up. "I should have waited till she was finished." Lenny took a deep breath. "I would have done the same thing."

At the hospital Sam rushed up to the nurse's desk out of breathe. "I'm…" she breathed slowly trying to calm her nerves but it wasn't helping. "I'm looking for my brother."

"Name please." Called the nurse with blond hair and fake fingernails.

"Don…" she shook her head. She could hardly think. "Don Flack. He was brought in…"

"Oh, the cop Flack."

"Yeah what ever. Can I see him?"

"Room 319 the elevators down he hall. Go to the 3rd floor." Sam rolled her eyes at the lady_. Duh_ she thought, _I know that much. I not that dumb. _She raced up to he lobby desk.

"Where's room 319?"

"Take the first left then turn the corner, it's the first door on the left."

"Thanks." She yelled as she flew down the hall. She turned the corner then stopped. Through the window she could see her brother, lying in a bed with his eyes shut. She placed her hands over her eyes but that didn't stop the tears. They streamed down her face and she started sobbing. "What happened to you brother? Why didn't you tell me?"

A nurse walking by heard her question. "He was in a wreck, he's fine." The nurse place her hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam turned to look at her. Sam sniffed.

"He going…"

"He's just fine." The nurse looks over at Don. "He's just resting now." A smile crept across Sam's face. "You can go in there if you like or you can wait out here…" the nurse walked away. Sam stood there watching her brother.

_So you' re resting brother, that still doesn't tell me why you didn't call me to tell me that you were hurt. _

Downstairs in the front lobby Danny sat in one of the hard chairs, this time he didn't have Lindsey next to him to comfort him. He sighed. What could be taking so long? He blinked. "Are you Danny," a nurse walked up to him.

"Yes, how is she?"

"She's doing well," she smiled at Danny. "Your girlfriend," _girlfriend_ Danny thought. He liked the sound of that but with Montana he wasn't sure. She always got close to him and then backed away. Danny knew to give her time but it was frustrating for him.

"Will be out here in a minute. She needs to rest though." The nurse walked back to the nurse's station and took a phone call. Lindsey walked up to Danny.

"What's this about needing rest?" Lindsey didn't answer him, she couldn't even look at him right now.

"Let's just go." She grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Wait Montana," Lindsey stared at him. "Tell me what's going on?"

"I just want to go home," she shook her head. She tried pulling him again.

"All right I'll drive you home." She just smiled. Just as they were walking out the door, Mac, Stella and Hawkes walked in.

"I'm taking Mon.." Danny stopped himself. "Lindsey home. She's not feeling all that well." Stella nodded. Lindsey walked out the door.

"Be careful, go straight…." Mac patted him on the shoulder, as he was about to leave,

"Wait Danny," Danny turned to face Mac again. "Don't leave her alone. We are being followed. These people are dangerous." _Tell me about it._ Danny thought. "um.. take her to your apartment."

"My apartment? I…" _don't think that's a good idea Mac. _Danny's mind finished the sentence_. The last time that she followed me home……_

"It will be safer there, in an inside apartment where you have to have someone let you in." Stella added.

"That's true," Danny sighed. He really didn't want Montana in his apartment again to much temptation there. "Well, that's where we will be."

Mac, Stella and Hawkes went up to see Flack.

Sam held Don's hand. She sniffed. "Don, how…" she sniffed again.

"Samantha," he opened his eyes. "How…." Sam lifted her head.

"Don," she jumped back letting go of his hand. "How? Why didn't you tell me?" she slapped him hard on the shoulder. "The nurse said that you have been here for days, how can you not tell me?"

"I…I didn't want you to worry sis…I'm fine."

"I see you told your friends but not me." She turned her face away from him. "I see they mean more to you then me." She started towards the door.

"Wait sis…" he grabbed her arm. "I didn't tell them either.." he sighed. "I was in a wreck." She turned back to face him. "After…." Don noticed when she turned fast that a necklace came from her shirt. He had seen that same necklace somewhere before. The angel pendent dangled in front of him. _Where have I seen that before?_ Don had a flashback to Sid's office and "the suspect."

"What?" Don shook his head, after realizing that he said that out loud. "What about the suspect?"

"I was transporting the her." _That was a close one_. Don thought. "To the police station, when we were hit. That's all I remember." He let go of her hand. "I ended up here."

He bent his head down. "If I…I didn't want you to worry….you had…."

"Not to much to come and see you. I…you know I love you, we have to stick together."

"And I love you…I…I'm sorry." He looked up at her. She knew that he was sorry but….

She slapped him again. "Don't let it happen again." He laughed. He wanted to know where she got that necklace.

"Where did you get that?" he pointed to the necklace. She held the necklace in her hands.

"I've had it for years. Angel…." She sighed and bent her head. "Angel gave it to me before she left…" she sniffed. "I've worn it ever since."

"I've guessed I've never seen it before. Our suspect…"

"The one in the car wreck?" asked Sam curiously.

"Yeah, she had one just like it. I can't remember her name though."

"Where is she?"

"Safe." Mac called as Hawkes, Stella and he entered the room. "She is safe."

"Safe where?" Sam faced the man who was talking. She only met him once.

"Somewhere." Mac called. "We can't discuss…" _wait that's how I can get what I need._

"Anyway I just wanted to see my brother for a minute." She walked over and slapped him on the shoulder again. "I got to go bro but I'll be back."

Mac opened the door and walked out with Sam. He waited for the door to close.

"Samantha," he caught up to her, "I need your help." She stopped. _What did he say? The police, needing my help, with what, they never asked for help before. At least, not that I can recall. . How can I help?_

"Mine?" she questioned as she stared at him. "What can I do?"

"Here's what I need…" Mac told her his plan. And why he needed her help as they turned the corner.

"Are you sure?"

"Here," he smiled and handed her a folded paper and a key. "Just follow the map that's where she is." She took the paper along with the key from him. She slowly unfolded it. The map had directions, to what she didn't know.

"Will she trust me?"

"That's the chance I have to take."

Sam sighed. She never helped on a real case before. She was a suspect once through.

Could she pull this off?

Could she help Mac and her brother?


	25. Chapter 25

**25**

Lindsey yawned. Danny knew she was tired. He had noticed it for a few days now. _Maybe she's not sleeping well at night. I know all too well how that goes. Maybe that's all it is. The doctors said she needs rest so it can't be too serious but why won't she just tell me that. I wouldn't care. It happens to me all the time but then again I'm I guy. _

He watched as she leaned her head back on the front seat. "The seat goes ba…" _how can I say that after she…_ he was going to apologize but she already had her seat leaned back with her eyes closed. Well, then… he said to himself. He drove to his apartment taking the time to go a long way to see if he was being followed but not a thing. Should I wake her up? Or should I just… Lindsey started to stir some but didn't open her eyes. That answers my question. He pulled back out into traffic. We will drive around. Danny decided to go to the park. He parked and leaned back his chair. That's more like it.

Samantha hesitated at the door. _Should I be doing this? I mean what if I'm followed or shot at. I don't have a car for protection._ She sighed, _now I feel like my brother_. She closed her eyes and breathed in heavily _what my brother goes through everyday._ "Move it." Yelled somewhere coming out the door_. Is this really going to work,_ she shook. _I don't think it will but here goes. _She walks through the double doors.

"A cleaning crew for our booking cell?" asked the chief officer at the front desk.

"We never have before."

"Yes, well a Mac Taylor sent me." The officer looked her up and down. _Never sent a _

_woman before but I guess he had to do what he had to._

"What are you actually looking for?"

"Anything out of the ordinary, dirt, fibers, prints…."

"Say no more all that lab jumble screws with my head." The officer led her to the booking cell. "No one has been in it for awhile. Just that kid…the kid Flack brought in a couple of days ago. I don't think you'll find much, but you welcome to it." He unlocked the cell.

"Just call when you finished." He pointed a phone on the wall. Then disappeared out of sight. That was easy enough. Samantha descended the staircase slowly using her flashlight, "This is too spooky." She swallowed. She placed her hand on her pendant. "I going to see Angel after all these years. How is she going to react to seeing me?"

She went down farther and farther.

Mac, Stella, Hawkes enter the lab lobby, "Now what do we do since we are being followed." Asked Stella as she walked towards the one of the lab offices. "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"We stay put here and go over what we know." Mac responded.

"Mac," Adam called as he walked down the hall, after hearing them come in. "I just got a strange phone call from uh...Jamerson in booking. Something about a cleaning crew in the booking cell? I didn't know of any so I told him that you would get back with him." He stared at Mac.

"Did you send one?" Stella asked confused.

"Oh my clean up crew, yes."

"What?" everyone said at once and then stared over at him. Mac ignored the stares. He went right for his office and picked up the phone. Everyone followed him.

"What is going on?" Hawkes whispered to Stella. She just shook her head.

"Not a clue, something he set up no doubt." Mac told Jamerson that he did indeed sent one of his crew members down there to collect evidence for him.

"I just let her do her thing but I just wanted to make sure that you really sent one here.

Something weird is happening around here. I can never be to cautious."

"That's true and she's one of mine." Mac placed the phone down and looked up as Adam burst through the door.

"I can't get Danny to answer his house phone. I called three times, just the answering machine."

"Are you sure?" Stella looked worried but Mac didn't he knew Danny would call back.

"Yes, I left one message but he didn't call me back. Is he…" now panic went through Mac's mind. _I told Danny to go straight there. I…._

"Did you try Lindsey's number?"

"Dialing it now." Adam punched in Lindsey's number in the phone. It just kept ringing and ringing. He shook his head. "Nothing."

"Mac I'm worried where…." Stella commented as she stared getting closer to Mac.

"Now Stella we don't know…." The phone by Mac rang, which made everyone jump.

"Mac Taylor, yes, missing what? Vanished into thin air, are you sure?" Mac sighed. "No one can vanish um….just keep watch there, she will show back up, ok bye." This time he placed the phone down gently.

"Vanished, was that Lindsey?" Stella questioned hoping that it wasn't.

"No, the cleaning crew lady I sent over to help get some evidence." _Who could that be?_ Stella thought. _I mean most of us are right here. Um…he didn't use Flack's sister…na he wouldn't do that. On the other hand….she shook the thought. _

"She probably stepped out for a minute. I mean no one just goes vanishing."

Mac already knew where she went. _She started off good, now let's see if she can finish._

"Anyway, I'll have patrol go to Danny's apartment and look around." Mac made his phone call when Sid entered.

"How are things going up here? I heard about the second shooting. Are any of us safe? I mean…"

"Staying here we are." Hawkes commented. "They don't seem to come in." he looked at Sid "except that one time. They haven't tried it again."

"I did some digging on the two men that," he sighed. "that got shot in my office. I found out that there are only a few members left like three to be exact, of the tanglewoods. Danny's brother and Sonny Sassone, were in the first set. The second set had three-left use to be five. So if we can find the other three…."

"That's why we couldn't see them then, second time cause they used another car to follow us not the green van. Um…"


	26. Chapter 26

**26**

Angel heard footsteps but not like before. These were lighter footsteps. "That's not Mac." Angel got up from the bed. "These are a woman's shoe… I have to find a weapon." She looked around the room. "Nothing." The lock slowly turned. "Mac said he was the only one that had a key. Maybe they killed Mac and now they're coming after me… I have to prepare myself." She stood behind the door so she could attack from behind. The door crept as it slowly opened an inch. Angel tightened up her fist till her knuckles turned white. Someone whispered her name. "Angel…"

Angel relaxed some at that but then she thought about it. _Anyone could know my name._

She tensed up again, this time even tighter if that was even possible. "Angel…Mac Taylor," when she heard that name she was better. Maybe Mac couldn't come so he sent someone in his place. Where is he though, did they get to him…did something happen to him that I don't know about?

"Sent me…" when Sam didn't hear anything, she opened the door some more. "He sent me…My name is Samantha Flack…"

_Samantha Flack?_ That name sounds familiar…Angel shook the thought. Na couldn't be my old friend Samantha. Just couldn't be…could it?

"I'm coming in. don't be scared." Sam called as she opened the door more.

Angel saw a figure with a small flashlight enter the room. The beam lighted the floor in front of the person. Samantha could hardly see a thing in the dark room. "Angel are you here?" she flashed the light beam around the room. Angel took out hers and flashed it back at her. "Angel? Hello…"

"Sam?" Sam flashed the light at the sound of her name.

"Angel?"

"Watch it with that light." Angel called covering her face from the bright light.

"Sorry, I…" Sam ran up to Angel who was now standing in the far corner. She saw that Angel still didn't really trust her. She stopped short of the edge of the bed. She reached for her necklace. She held it out and lighted it up with her flashlight. Angel saw the pendent and reached for hers. Sam smiled.

"It matches, it matches." Sam walked slowly closer to her.

"It does, it does." Angel smiled. Sam hugged her. "Good to see you. I never forgot."

Sam eyes filled with tears. She sniffed. "I never forgot either. I just never thought I see…"

"Well, here I am." Angel told her.

"Mac sent me…"

"Where is he?" she broke the hug.

"Well," there was hesitation in Sam's voice.

"So he's going to keep me prisoner here."

"No, Angel…um…he's still working on your case."

"So he told you all about my case." She sat on the bed facing away from Sam. "You must think the worst of me too." She sniffed. Sam sat next to her draping her arm over her shoulder.

"No I…" Angel looked at her friend, more like stared.

"You know something Sam don't you?" Sam was hesitant again.

"Mac…" she sighed. "And his team are being followed that's why he sent me."

"By who?" Angel shook her head trying not to think about who it could have been or was.

"They don't know."

"And you?"

"I don't know." Sam responded, Angel laughed at that.

"No, I mean are you being followed?"

"Not that I know of." She sighed. "Mac wanted to ask you about who you thought would be following them."

"I have not a clue."

"So you not in a gang?"

"Now why would you say that?" Angel had a hurtful look _why would he think that? Why would he say that? _A tear slid down her cheek_, he doesn't trust me that's it. _

Sam's mind_: great now I have upset her. Now she's not going to talk to me anymore. _

"It was just a question." Sam swallowed. "A Mac question. He's just a detective. He's trying to get answers. I would have asked the same thing if I thought it was important one."

Angel's mind: Maybe Sam's right I mean…

"Mac thinks he knows but…he can't be sure yet."

"It's one of the tanglewood boys isn't it." Angel swallowed. She knew that these people were dangerous.

"Could be. That's what they are trying to figure out as we speak." Angel told Sam the story about what happened the night of the wreck and all about what had happen to her since she got here. By the time that she was finished, Sam was in tears.

"Chantelle died in your arms," Sam wiped tears from her face and stared at Angel.

"Yes," Angel started to start crying again about Chantelle. Sam reached out and hugged Angel.

"I never know that side of the story. I thought both of you died. I was…scared."

"Me too. I ran from the scene." Angel wiped tears from her eyes. "The only person I told the story to was that Mac Taylor detective guy. I couldn't lie any longer. Not when I knew that I might be going to jail for murdering someone."

"That was…you were protecting yourself, you had no choice."

"I feel guilty thought…and then when your brother took me in…"

"My brother…" Sam sounded shocked. That's when the light bulb went on her that he didn't know that she was Angel. Sam's mind: _that's how he knew about the necklace._ "He doesn't know yet, does he."

"Not yet. I was going to tell him but….we were hit and then all hell broke lose. I'm now here and he's in the hospital."

"He's doing better, he has high spirits. Does he even know who you are?"

"No, he thinks I'm Chantelle….it was." Angel sighed. "I got the id swap idea from him."

"What?"

"He said we were like close sisters, so I took Chantelle's id and ran." Angel couldn't look at Sam anymore. She turned her head away. "I thought she wouldn't mind. I know that it

was wrong to do but…"

"That's why?" Angel faced Sam again with a question mark look on her face.

"What?"

"That's why Mac wants me to get the DNA swab."

"What's that?" Angel got up from the bed and started pacing the floor. "What do I have to do? Does it hurt?" she stopped pacing. She decided to sit at the table this time. "Does he know where my father is?"

"I don't know about that but he asked me if I would get a DNA sample from you. He didn't tell me why he needed it." Sam sighed. "He told me all I have to do is swab this." She held up a q-tip with a long handle. "Along the inside of you cheek and then put in this container." She showed the container to Angel.

"Let's do this." Angel opened her mouth and Sam swabbed the inside of her mouth.

"Then you have to go right?" Sam placed the q-tip in the container.

"Yes, I have to get it back to him. I'll be right back."

"I know you will come back." Angel smiled. "It's just frustrating being here alone." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know if it's day or night."

Sam looked at her watch. "It's now late afternoon."

"Oh,"

"Trust me when I tell you that Mac knows what he's doing? You should be out of here soon."

"He looks like the best."

"He is. One of the best, I know." She went over the Angel and gave her another hug.

"Soon all of this will be over." Angel lay down on the bed placing her arms under her head. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"When you wake back up it will be…." Sam's voice trailed off as she left the room.


	27. Chapter 27

**27**

Lindsey started to rub her eyes. How long have I been out? She thought her eyes were all the way opened but she couldn't see anything. She placed her hand in front of her face, still she could not tell. Why can't I see anything? She patted her self some. That's good. I think I'm all here. She felt to the left, an armrest. What? Am I still in the car but…she felt in front of her. Hard plastic, she ran her hands to the edge of the plastic thing. She felt the coolness of glass. I'm still in the car, a car. She swallowed but who's? Have I been kidnapped? Am I all alone? Where's Danny? Was he kidnapped too? We aren't moving so something must have happened. She sighed is he…dead? She swallowed. Panic was creeping in her mind. Don't panic think. She heard soft snoring next to her. Danny? But I thought…wait I'm in the front. Are we both kidnapped? She tried to clear her throat but the soft snoring continued. She reached out farther, a long arm. Danny's um…. she pinched the arm next to her.

"Ow…" yelled Danny. "That hurt," he looked over in Lindsey's direction but he couldn't see her. It's too dark in here to see anything.

"Danny?"

"You pinch hard." It was him she recognized his voice.

"Danny why are we still in your car. I thought…" She looks out the window, now I know why I can't see anything in here it's…..night time. "What time is it?" she tried to open her window but thought she try the door. "Where are we? I thought you were taking me home."

"We're parked at the local kid's park."

"But I told you…" she slammed the door. He thought she might run off so he got out of the car. He was right. She started to walk off some.

"I wanted you to take me home," she didn't face him.

"I was…" he sighed, "Mac told me not to leave you alone cause you guys were being followed…and Stella suggested that we go to my apartment but… " she turned to face him.

"Your apartment? Why?"

"Cause… it was safer."

"Safer for who?" she yelled.

"You were being followed remember i…." he swallowed. "I didn't want to go to my apartment," he blinked. "Last time…"

"What about last time?" _that's what go me into this mess_. She placed her hands around her waist and sighed. Sh…little one.

"You know what happened last time." She walked back up to him placed her hand on either side of his shoulders and pushed him back, hard. He fell to the ground.

"So that night was all a mistake?" tears were starting to form. "How can you say that about your…" she was about to blurt it out to him that she was pregnant. "All this time that's how you felt."

"No, It wasn't! " he shot back. "I just…"

"Get out of here and leave me alone."

"No wait, I…." he let out a sigh of frustration. "I….didn't want the… temptation….

Montana. I…." he swallowed. He couldn't say the L word even thought he wanted too. He cared to deeply for her. He was in love with her but wanted her to feel the same about him. They fought all the time so he couldn't tell. He would just let it play out maybe one day it come.

"Temptation?"

"I didn't trust myself not to take advantage of this…." He turned back towards his car away from her face. "Situation…I didn't want to be tempted. What happened that night…" he had a flashback to that night where she spent the night in his arms. "Was great but it was on our terms….the doctors said you need rest…I didn't want to rein that and…" he turned around to face her again, "you fell asleep. I didn't want to wake you up. I know you need this rest."

"So I've been asleep this whole time?"

"Yes," he looked sheepily "both of us."

"You took a nap?" she turned her head side ways at him.

"Yeah, I… we went by my apartment… I thought about last time…" he grinned. "You were fast asleep. I thought you bite my head off if I woke you so…."

"So you let me sleep and now it's dark." She pointed up to the sky. Danny sighed either way she did bite my head off. His stomach grumbled.

"What to grab something to eat?"

"Danny…" she stared at him.

"Well, do you?"

"How…" she was getting hungry herself but going out with him…_what choice do I have…he's the one with the car….and… "_I get to pick where we get to go."

Danny opened his car door shaking his head. What have I gotton myself into.


	28. Chapter 28

**28**

Mac sat in his swivel chair at his desk in his office looking at the dark sky. He was thinking about Lindsey and Danny. Where were they? They didn't answer their phones or beepers. He sighed I have to call again. Maybe they…he picked up the phone and hesitated for a second. He dialed Danny's number. "Maybe they will just show up." He said out loud to himself not knowing that Stella was there.

"Who?" Stella came back with a brown paper bag. She placed it down on his desk. "Eat." She demanded to him. Mac nodded. He couldn't eat not knowing were his detectives were. "Danny, this is Mac. Call me immediately." Mac said into the phone when he got Danny's answering machine once again. He looked up at Stella,

"Eat," she ordered him again.

"I can't…"

"You need to eat Mac. You haven't all day." She took a seat in front of him. She wasn't going to give up. "I know you're worried about them. So am I but…"

"Heard from Danny?" Mac looked up shaking his head at Hawkes.

"Not yet." Something Mac wasn't telling them was he sent a cop to go by Danny's apartment and that the report from the scene was that he never showed up. That was what was worrying Mac the most. No one there saw him or his car. They hadn't seen any sign of it over at Lindsey either. _Where could they be? I told him…Mac let his mind wonder about all that could have gone wrong…_that's when thephone rang bringing him back to reality.

"Mac Taylor." He answered it trying to stay calm. "Samantha!" he sounded shock to hear from her. Both Stella and Hawkes exchanged looks.

"I'm working right now." Sam said in the phone as she took her small break. "I'll be at the bar on 10th ave. I got what you needed."

"Samantha." Called her boss Lenny. She placed her hand over the phone. "Coming." She placed the phone back to her ear. "Look I got to go but we need to talk." Samantha was going to tell him everything about the two of them.

Mac walked in the smoke filled bar on 10th ave. the bell above his head rang letting everyone know he was coming in. He made his was to the bar and found an empty seat.

"What can I get you?" asked the bartender, who also ran the bar.

"Can't drink. I'm on the job." He showed the man his badge. "Coffee then, on the house." He knew that Samantha had called the detective earlier.

"That would be nice."

"Samantha coffee at the bar." He would let them talk. Samantha knew that could only mean one thing that Mac Taylor was here, for most people in the bar never wanted coffee except cops. Samantha delivered the rest of her tray then walked back to the bar where she saw him sitting looking around.

"One coffee coming up." She poured Mac a cup of coffee.

"How did it go with Angel?"

"Very emotional….anyway, I have what you asked for. I'll get it on my next break." A customer waved her down. Mac just nodded. He turned to face the floor and sipped his coffee. He was watching all the people coming and going.

"Lonely night?"

"Working," he flashed open his coat. The blond woman saw his badge and gun.

"Well, if you ever want a good time." She kissed a business card and slid it to him. "Call me." She started back to the table where she came from. Mac looked at the card. It had lipstick over the name Tammy 555-gets fun. Mac slid the card in his pocket. Could come in handy one day. Sam whispered to Mac to follower her. He left towards the back room. She handed him a bag.

"There you go." He placed the bag inside his coat. "Angel wanted to know if you found her father. I…" she sighed. "She told me her story and everything. She's scared…"

"I know with all that is happening I would be too, if I was her."

"She doesn't trust much, how are we going to help her?"

"We're working on that." Mac was about to leave when Sam grabbed the sleeve of his coat. He looked down at his arm then back at her.

"Mac there's something that I have to tell you." He sat down with his back towards the door as Sam went on. "Angel and I go way back…"

"How far?" he questioned.

"Um…we…she was about nine maybe ten years old and I was about 12, 13 somewhere around then. We were friends. I thought she died in a fiery car crash. I…"

"That was you.." he pointed at her. He didn't mean too it was just that he was shocked to hear it from her. _So Angel is telling the truth._ "That means that…. That was….he was."

"Don, yes. Don was in that car that….that night." She breathed in deeply trying to control her emotions again. "I remember cause she…she saved my…our lives."

"Does Don?"

"He doesn't know yet. He doesn't know that that's her. He had a dream but doesn't know that she's here… or even alive." Sam rubbed her nose. The door the office opened..

"Samantha, I told you no one back here." Yelled the boss in a guff stern voice. Mac who was facing Sam had his back to the door, got to his feet and faced the man that was yelling. There was no need to be that loud.

"Oh, sorry detective I…" the boss said in a more normal tone of voice.

"That's ok. I think we're finished here." He shook Sam's hand. "Thanks for all your help. We will be in touch." He winked at her.


	29. Chapter 29

**29**

The man who was driving the green van stood in the darkness out of sight. He watched Mac as he got back into his car. "He's leaving," he said into his cell. "I think that he's coming your way. I'm on that boss." Click.

"It's show time." Two men place hoods on there heads. "All we have to do is go in and grab the girl and run. Simple task." They gave each other high five.

Mac walks in the nearly empty crime lab building to his office. After getting the samples he needed he headed to Adam's workstation. He was found typing away at his computer with his earphones in, jamming to some rock music.

"Adam." Mac called but Adam didn't stop what he was doing. Mac shook his head.

"at least he gets his work done and on time." He placed his hand on Adam. Adam jumped and spun his chair around.

"Sorry I was…" he took off his headphones and placed them next to his computer.

"Relax Adam I have a job for you. I need this." He handed Adam one sample.

"Run against these two." Mac handed him the other two samples. "See if anything matches."

"DNA samples right?"

"Right."

Danny was laughing and cutting up as he held the door for Lindsey to enter the building. "It's dark in here are you sure they're still here?" she asked walking through the dimly lit hall.

"Mac." He laughed again. "Never sleeps."

"What?" Lindsey turned her head towards him.

"Just kidding. I'm sure he does but not when something like this is going on."

"You're right Danny." he heard Mac's voice in the hall. "I don't sleep when I'm worried to death about my detectives. Where the hell have the two of you been?" Mac was angry with them, Lindsey could read the anger in his eyes.

"I…" Danny swallowed.

"I fell a sleep in his car…" Lindsey was trying to explain to Mac.

"I didn't feel right going to my apartment so i…we went driving around. I stopped at the park.. then I fell asleep myself. Um…"

"So you didn't get any of our messages?" he shot back at the both of them. "I really got worried that something had happened to the two of you."

"I'm…."

"Save it. Now the two of you don't move from this building." Danny lowered his head and walked down the rest of the hall. Mac shook his head as he went back to his office Lindsey in step with him.

"Mac it was all my fault." Mac sat at his desk. "Danny," she blinked, trying to find the right way to say what she had to say. She couldn't tell him the real reason that Danny didn't want to go to his apartment. She couldn't tell him about that night…. "He didn't want to wake me up. He just…he wanted to protect me." She turned to look at the hallway to see if Danny was there. He wasn't. She sighed. She couldn't look Mac in the eye. She knew that she and Danny had worried him for nothing. She swallowed. "I'm…we're sorry. I…"

"Were you followed by anyone?" Lindsey shook her head,

"No, no sign. Maybe he saw something at his apartment. That I don't know."

"I don't mean to be sound harsh but I have had a sickening feeling all day that the people who are following us will stop at nothing and when the cop I sent to Danny's said that his car never made it to his apartment."

"Oh know," now she knew why he had so much anger, worry in his eyes. "I… we….didn't mean…."

"I started to panic. I thought the worst…" Mac looked up at her. He could tell that she was about getting upset about this as well. He got up and wrapped her in a hug.

"It's alright I just….I have to look out for you guys,"

"Did you?" Lindsey started to ask.. Did the others know about the cop and him not showing up? She wondered. Maybe they were out looking to the two of them now.

"I didn't tell any of them. I didn't want them to have to worry too."

"Mac, I'm…." she blinked.

"Me too, but soon we will find this so called follower and we will drag him down."

Stella, Danny and Hawkes walked up to Mac's office. Stella watched the two of them hug.

"Is everything ok Mac?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine." He said over Lindsey's shoulders.

"Not everything…" everyone turned Sid's direction.

"What?" Mac wondered what else could go wrong.

"Turn to channel three and turn up the volume way up." He commented to Adam.

"Our news crew just got here. We are standing in front of the 10th ave bar where less then 10 minutes a robbery just took place."

_Oh no,_ Mac thought_. I was followed wasn't I? I lead them right there. Samantha…_

"Witnesses say it is total chaos around here and I believe it…" the newsman went on. Another women entered in front of the camera.

"That's…" Lindsey swallowed.

"Isn't that where Samantha, Flack's sister works?" Stella questioned, she shot a look at Mac. He was speechless. All he could do was nod. Hawkes swallowed.


	30. Chapter 30

**30**

At bar, the scene was crazy, people running around all over the place. The owner of the bar, a man known only as Boss was met by the anchorman.

"Here is the boss of the bar now. Let's see what he has to say." The anchorman shot a glace towards him and the camera shot Lenny. "What happened here and is this a robbery?"

"I don't know. I just know that one of bartenders is missing." He sniffed. "And I want her back. That's all I have to say." The boss left the cameraman.

Flack stood there at the nurse's station. He couldn't move, he could hardly breathe. Tears streamed from his eyes, down his face. He watched the tv in horror. He knew in his gut that the Boss was talking about his sister. _That's the bartender that was missing._ He rushed out of the hospital without waiting any longer. _I have to know what happened. I have to find my sister. _

A crowd hovered over in a group all looking down at something.

"Oh, no that can only mean one thing…and it's not good." Danny called out as the car slowed to a stop at the bar.

"That means that we have a …." Mac let out a long sigh. "That we have a body." He swallowed. "I'm hope…"

"Me too." Danny responded. A cop comes jogging up to the two of them.

"One dead." He pointed to the crowd of people.

"Any id?" Mac inquired as he got out of the car.

"Nope," he shook his head. "Someone might know who she is though."

"Danny, go see if you can find any witnesses."

"I don't know if they will be any help, most of them have been drinking but you are welcome to them." the cop pointed to the people standing around. "As for the victim we don't know much…only that she has dark hair and is well….. a woman."

Mac was afraid of what he might find. If this was Samantha had he put her in danger by coming here? Would he tell Don that it was his fault that she was dead? This is the one time he didn't want to look at the body, for this could be one, of his own. He swallowed hard. The blue colored tarp lined out the body. He kneeled down. people started moving away. _Sam forgive me. Don forgive me._ He drew in a deep breath and leaned his head back, looking at the sky. He let out his breathe slowly. _I can do this. I can do this. _He placed his shaking hand on the blue tarp having his eyes closed he slowly pulled back the tarp to look…..


	31. Chapter 31

**31**

A woman's face stared coldly back at him. He almost fell backwards as a sigh of relief escaped his lips. It was a woman with the same size as Sam, even had the same hair and eye color. It wasn't Sam but it was someone's sister, mother or daughter and Mac still had to find their killer. He closed the woman's eyes and replaced the tarp back over her face. Danny stopped a few feet away trying to collect his thoughts. How was he going to face his friend Don? Danny kept his head lowered as he made his way through the crowd.

"Mac is it?" Mac shook his head.

"It's not her, it's not Samantha." Mac had to yell over the talking crowd Danny made his way to Mac and the blue tarp cover the body.

"That's a big relief,"

"Yes it is, but we still have work to do to find her." Mac sighed. _Where to start though um… _"What did the witness have to say?" Mac asked. Danny flipped through his notepad.

"Two gray men came in, fired fireballs from their fingers, while trashing the place and took off running at the speed of light out the back door." Danny could tell that Mac

wanted to laugh at the statement of the gray men. He could hardly believe it himself.

"Two gray men huh?" he snorted.

"That's what they say they saw."

"I take it these men where dressed?" Danny shrugged.

"I suppose anyway Mac the register was still full of money." Mac got to his feet." So what king of robbery was this?" Danny looked confused.

"I don't think it was a robbery at all." Now Danny was more confused.

"What was it then?" Danny asked. The only thing that came to his mind was…

"I think it was a kidnapping and Sam…." Mac sighed, "was the target."

Danny glanced up when he heard yelling. "Don's here."

"Don you need to be resting at the hospital." Mac told him.

"I have to know it that's." He pointed to the blue tarp on the ground. "If that's my sister."

He ran over to the tarp and fell to his knees. He closed his eyes, placed his head on the body and started crying. How could this happen Mac? How could this happen to her? I…"

"Don," he looked up. "I…." Don placed his hand on the edge of the blue tarp and ripped it off the body.


	32. Chapter 32

**32**

"You're…" he opened his eyes. "Not my sister." He placed the covering back over the woman. "Where's my sister then?" Flack called to Danny and Mac as he got to his feet. Danny could see anger in his eyes. Don placed hands on either side of Danny's collarbone pushing him back into the brick wall behind them. He held him there.

"Where's my sister?"

"We don't know?" Danny responded, trying to stay calm. He had never seen Don flip out this way with any of them. He placed his hands on Don's elbows to keep a little distance so Don would crush him farther into the wall.

"Flack," Mac came running over there to see what was going on with the two of them.

"Relax some."

Flack loosened his grip and turned from Danny. "Mac I…." Mac tried to explain what happened to all of them while he was in the hospital. "You think someone kidnapped her?" Mac nodded and sighed. "How is that even possible?"

"I came to see her, I think that I was being followed." He looked over at Don then to Danny and back. "I think that the people who were following us are the ones that…." He swallowed. "the ones that came after her."

"Do we know who these people are or where to find them?"

"No," Danny shrugs, "that's what's frustrating us. We can't seem to find out much about them but they seem to find us." He left out that they think it might be someone in a gang.

Mac was observing the people who were still hanging around. Looking to his right he noticed a man wearing a backwards baseball cap talking to the boss. Do I know that man? He looks….um….

"Danny you stay with Hawkes and the body. Stella you and Don check out some more witnesses…that way." He pointed left opposite direction from the Boss. "Lindsey and I will talk to the boss again." Lindsey knew that look and how he sent everyone away quickly. Something he wasn't sharing or was up to something sneaky. She thought the latter.

Don, even though he hesitated, did what Mac wanted him to do. He and Stella went off to see what other statements they could gather before the crowd left. Danny went with Hawkes and the body. Mac raced over to catch the man in the cap.

"Wait …What's the hurry?" Lindsey called as she caught up to the boss of the bar.

"Who was that?" she asked pointing to the man in the cap that Mac was talking to a few feet away.

"Messer." The boss said now looking at her. "An ex-gang member, who comes in here a lot."

"Louie Messer?"

"Yeah you know him?" she left the boss without answering his question. She was now going to get to meet Danny's brother. _That's why he sent Danny and Don away. He wanted to talk without them interfering._

"We need to talk but not here." Mac went on saying when Lindsey approached them.

"I didn't do anything wrong. I was just having a drink detective."

"Let's not make a scene." Mac told him. "Come with me back to the crime lab building so we cam talk some more." Mac led him to one of the cars, that was parked there.

"Lindsey watch him for a minute." Mac got in his car and drove back around to pick up

Louie but when he saw the car that Mac was in he took off running.


	33. Chapter 33

**33**

Louie ran right towards the woods. Mac stopped the car. "Why did he run?"

"I don't know. He saw your car and freaked. I think he knows something."

"Maybe he…"

"No, not Danny's brother. Why would he be following us?" she shook her head. "He ran that away." Lindsey pointed towards the woods.

"Great," Mac murmured to himself. "Through the woods we go." Mac took off running towards the direction that Lindsey said he went. He thought that Lindsey was right behind him as he chased Louie down into the wooded area. He saw Louie up ahead resting by a tree. Most likely out of breath.

"Wait I just wanted talk." Louie took off running again. Mac ran faster. He reached out to grab Louie and tackled him to he ground. They went tumbling down a small hill. "Why do ya'll always run." They went rolling over and over till they finally came to a stop at the end of the hill. Mac rolled him over. "Hands behind you back." Louie surrendered his hands.

"I didn't do anything."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." Lindsey showed up finally, she was out of breathe, she wasn't running all that fast. "This way." She heard Mac yell. She peered over the hill to see him walking Louie up the hill handcuffed.

At the station Mac put Louie in an interrogation room and shut the door behind him. That way the two of them could talk without any outside interference. But before that could happen Mac wanted to see if the DNA results were in. He walked down the hall to see Adam and to make sure that Danny wasn't there in the lab.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Asked Lindsey.

"No I think I need to do this one alone but keep Danny away."

"Away from his own brother?"

"Just till I get his story." Mac walked into the room. Louie was just sitting there looking at the ceiling.

"We are going to have a little talk." Mac said as he interrupted Louie's thoughts.

"Then what's with the room? I mean,…" Louie sighed, what's happened to him? Did the others set him up for the fall guy? "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why run from us?" Louie hesitated some. He wanted to tell Mac about the car and that he was in the car but something was holding him back. Mac sat down in front of him at the interview table. He opened a folder in front of him.

"Louie you're looking at a couple of felonies."

"What!" Louie sounded shocked. "That can't be, I didn't do anything." Mac shook his head.

"It's all adding up."

"Mac you have to believe me when I tell you that I didn't do anything."

"I don't have to believe anything. Just cause you're Danny's brother…."

Louie knew that he now had to come all the way clean with Mac. He swallowed. "Let me explained then." Mac nodded.

"Look I got a mysterious phone call, about a week ago." Louie let out a long sigh. Mac was intrigued now.

"What phone call?"

"The person on the line." Louie went on.

"How about a name?"

"They didn't give me one." Louie shook his head. "Anyway they told me that they knew who killed my daughter or faïence. They really didn't have a clue of witch one. No one does," Louie sniffled and tears started to form in his eyes. He sniffed again thinking that the tears would go away but that only made the come faster. He could feel them a full force ready to pop. But he continued on anyway. So be it if he broke down and cried. He had the right too, just like anyone else who was still grieving over his loss. He was hoping for this day. Hoping for any clue to what happened that night 12 years ago. He wanted some closer that no one but the real murderers could give him. He looked up at Mac.

"They both disappeared at the same time." He sniffed again. "About I don't know 12 years ago. This man told me that he saw the whole thing go down. The murder and everything."

_Murder?_ Mac knew that that was not true. He knew that both Louie's daughter and faience were alive, the DNA test he got back earlier proved it.

"So I meet with him. I wanted something some kind of closer. Anything, that might be a lead. Anything at all even if it was just a fake lead. I needed something. "

"What did he say?"

"They told me." That got the wheels turning in Mac mind.

"They?"

"Yeah um…." He counted on his fingers. "There was four of them in the car and one on the phone giving directions that night."

"That night? What night was that?"

"Yes, the day that we…got together."

"You were with them?"

"Yes, they told me that they knew where we could find a killer."

"So you went with them?"

"We followed a young woman to work."

"Her? You mean…"

"A female killer, I know at first I didn't believe them either. I didn't think a female was capable of murder. I had to see it for myself. So we followed her to her work at the…."

A disturbing thought entered Mac's mind:

It couldn't be the same ones that have been following us around could it? Not Danny's brother, no way. He wouldn't do that but…he was known to be…don't go there Mac he wouldn't hurt you guys. Mac sighed. His gut told him this guy meant no harm but…

"So you followed this woman. Where did she work?"

"In the morgue of all places. Creepy huh… I asked if they were sure they had the right girl and they told me it was a match to…" he swallowed. "to the one that left my faïence house." Lindsey who was watching the two of them talk was furious with this so-called brother of Danny's. She couldn't just stand there without voicing her option. So she burst in the door letting it hit the wall. Louie jumped.

"You're the one that followed us and shot up our car. You could have killed us. "

Lindsey yelled at him.

"What?" Louie stared over in her direction. He recognized her from the picture that Danny sent to him.

"Oh no. I followed you guys once. Just to see where she worked, that was it. I saw her get arrested by a cop I was happy so I left. I never went back.

"No you shot at us." Lindsey shouted again. "We saw you."

"I don't know about any shooting." _Oh no, the boys shot at them. What was with that all about? That was not part of the plan and why she was already arrested. Was this all a set up?_

"Detective Taylor you know I wouldn't." He blinked. He felt guilt rise up in him. _What did these guys do to them? _

_Believe him Mac_, his gut told him. _He does show concern something about the look of shock on his face and the in his eyes._

"You're saying you just left…" Lindsey still wasn't all that convened.

"Yes, I…" Louie lowed his head "I didn't know that they were going back out," he swallowed. He looked over at Lindsey who was watching him with suspicion. "Why would I shoot at my brother and his girlfriend? What motive do I have in that?"

Girlfriend? Thought Lindsey, Danny's talked about me.

_He told Louie that I'm his girlfriend? Why would Danny do that?_ A smile crept across her lips and warmth filled her heart. _Danny does care…_

"I didn't know they try to kill you guys too." Louie went on.

Lindsey thought about what happened to Samantha. _Did he have anything to do with that?_

"Where's Samantha?" Lindsey's furry had gone to her eyes.

Louie shook his head, "Who? Who is that?" He shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know a Samantha." Mac stood up coming closer to stand right next to Louie.

"The girl that was kidnapped at the bar you where at."

"What about it? I…" Don rushing in and slammed his hands on the table.

"My sister Louie," Don shouted at him. If looks could really kill then Louie would have been killed the minute Don stood outside the door. "Where's my sister? Where did you guys take her?"


	34. Chapter 34

"I had nothing to do with that." Don had his hands around Louie's neck ready to squeeze the life out of him when Danny came rushing in as well.

"Don….let go." and Don shot Danny a look.

"I told detective Taylor that I had nothing to do with any of that. Why wont you believe me?"

"That's to be seen," Don turned to look at Mac then at Lindsey. "He knows where my sister is."

"I…" Louie started,

"Everyone out." Yelled Mac. "Lindsey take them out of here." Lindsey escorted Don and Danny out.

"I want to know where my sister is…" Don yelled at Danny.

"If my brother says he doesn't know, then he doesn't." Danny shouted back at Don. "He would never….."

"Funny you should take his side in all of this." Lindsey had had enough of this arguing. It wasn't getting them any closer to finding out what happened to Samantha. She stood between them. She hated too get in the middle of things but this was to much. She also hated to see such good friends fright like this.

"Calm down." She told the both of them. "This is getting us nowhere. Let's let Mac find out. All he can first then…." Danny turned and left down the hall. Lindsey sighed and followed him. She made sure that he didn't do anything stupid.

"I don't want to talk." When Danny turned to her she saw the look on his face. One with fear and sadness. "My brother…" he shook his head. "He wouldn't do this." Lindsey walked up to him.

"I know…"

Back in the interrogation room down the hall. Mac was still in the same place as where he started. He still didn't have any answers to his questions and time for Samantha was ticking.

"Why were you at the bar?" he asked Louie after sitting back down in his chair across from him.

"I go to that bar a lot cause they have the best drinks." Louie admitted to Mac. That was no surprise that he had been drinking lately. "I was there drinking."

"So you were at the bar?"

"Yeah, getting drunk, alone." He said knowing that Mac was going to ask him that too. "I had a stressful day, asked the boss man. He'll tell ya." Louie glanced in the direction on the mirror then back to Mac. "I'm always in there. I never caused any trouble."

Mac stuck his hand in his pocket. He was looking his phone that kept vibrating. He found something with his hands that wasn't his phone. A piece of paper of some short, a card_,_ He remembered the card that the hooker gave him. _That's it. _Mac thought about the lady that tried hitting on him, maybe she saw something and could place Louie at the bar. _Tammy, that was here name. I need to find her._

He opened the door. Stella was comforting Don in the hallway. "I think I have a witness." He said as he watched them. "Stay with him, Stella." He pointed at Louie.

"You have a lead?" Stella's eyes lit up.

"Did he tell you something?" Don was ready to get back to Louie.

"No, but I think I have someone who might. I remember someone at the bar."

"A hooker?" Stella said out loud not really meaning too. "Mac."

"It's going to be fine." Mac raced down the hall. "I have to go." Danny and Lindsey were standing in the elevator when it opened for Mac.

"Mac is my brother telling the truth? Does he know anything?"

"I think so, Danny want to take a ride?"

"Sure." Mac called the number on the card. He took out of his pocket.

Danny saw the card. _A hooker? Why would Mac have the card of a hooker? And why is he calling one? Is my brother involved_ _in the hooker thing?_

He didn't want to think about his brother doing something like that. He was getting his life back together or so Danny thought.

"We…I want to meet with you Tammy." Mac said on the phone in the lobby.

"Sure honey, come to 222 Regina's hotel."

"I'll be there shortly."

Mac's car slowed to a stop in front of Regina's hotel.

"Are you sure…." Danny got out of the car and looked at the place. "I mean… look at this place it's a decapitated building." Cats, sat on the overturned trashcan, old papers and trash spilled out of them and god knows what else was lurking behind that.

"She's a hooker Danny," he shrugged his shoulder. "They don't care where or what the place looks like. They just want…" Danny put his hand up in Mac's face.

"I get it, I get it. You don't have to paint me a picture." Danny shook the thought.

The two men walked to the back of the building.

"Here we are." Mac said. "Room 222." Mac banged on the door. Danny heard what he thought was wood creaking.

"Any harder and your hand will go through it."

The door creaked open. A blond woman in a laundrie teddy stood looking at the two of them. They flashed her their badges.

"What did I do this time?" Tammy questioned as she let them in. She grabbed her robe and place it around her.

"Officer i…"

"I need to ask you what you saw at the bar tonight." Mac said to her. "I want you too look at a picture. Was this man?" Mac handed Tammy a picture of Louise. "Was he involved."

"No, but he is a regular at the bar." She sighed. "I saw him all the time. I tried to hit on him but he turned me down every time." Danny swallowed, so his brother was hit on all the time…_tempted….but he never gave in that's a relieve. Good for him but…don't go there….his heart told him. _

Mac showed her another picture, this time of one of the gang members, Sonny Sassone the headman. She looked at it harder.

"Take a good look at him." Mac urged her on.

"That's him."

"Who?" Danny asked.

"That's one of the men that grabbed the girl."


	35. Chapter 35

"What girl?" Mac questioned staring at Tammy.

"The bartender maybe," Tammy shrugged her shoulders. "The one with short brown hair. The one that I saw serve you." She pointed at Mac. "Coffee the other day that one."

"Samantha,"

"I guess." Tammy looked at Danny then back to Mac. "I didn't know her name."

"Are you sure it was him?" Danny asked now holding the picture of Sonny.

"Yes, he looked right at me. But there were two of them." she blinked. "I don't remember," she sighed. "The other one. They wore gray suits, with hoodies and glasses."

"You mean like sun glasses."

"Yeah, dark ones." Tammy sighed. _She sure knows a lot for being a hooker._ Danny thought. _I wonder what else she knows?_

"Well, that's a start. Did they say where they were going?"

"Danny." Mac shot a glare over at him. He held up his hands.

"I had to ask. I thought she might have heard something."

"No sorry," she shook her head. "But I remember something about a park. I don't know if that helps or not."

"A park where?" Mac thought about what Angel had told him about a park that they had a wreck.

"Um…"

"Anything you can remember about the park?"

"oh," she snapped her fingers. "Now I remember, they talked about Fl." she cut her eyes between the two men. "Miami I think?" she shrugged.

"Miami, what?" Danny asked confused. "Why Miami? That's no where near here."

Mac thought about that. _Angel said that's where the accident took place. Maybe they are going to that park. _He swallowed_. That's where she said she buried her friend Chantelle maybe that is what they are looking for, a body. Maybe they know that she is the one that hid the body. Or maybe the story has more to it. I have to talk to her before we go there. _

_She's the only one that can help us. I hope that we're not to late._

"I have someone to pick up before we go to Miami."

"We're going to Miami?" Mac went to the police booking building. "Here? Why here?"

"A good friend. Now from the front desk call Flack." Danny walked up to the desk grasping the phone in his hand turned back around to face Mac.

"And tell him what?"

"Meet me…us in the lab." Mac disappeared from Danny's sight.

Mac tries to walk slowly trying not to scare Angel but nothing gets past her.

She knew that someone was coming. She could hear the footsteps. Angel went closer to the door to make sure that's what she was hearing. _Slow ones, big ones, Mac's_ she wondered_. Sam was right he has come back to me. To me…? _

"_Don't go there,"_ her mind told her. She sighed _you're right too much to ask. I just want to get out of here._

"Angel," a male's voice called as the door cracked open some. Mac didn't want her to panic and be afraid of him. Angel was waiting ready to pounce when he stepped in the room. "Angel," he called again. When she saw him and recognized his voice, she grabs him around the neck. "Ahhh…" he screamed. She steps back from him to look at him.

"Sorry, um…." He smiles. _I see that she's not afraid of me. That's good._

"I get to get out of here." She sounded excited. Until, she saw his grim face. No smile anymore. _His face looks strained and he looks uncomfortable, he has bad news to tell me I can tell. _

"I do get to get out of here right?"

"Um…well…" He sighed. She intensely stared at him. _Something's wrong. I just know it, but what can it be….I guess that I'm not getting out of here after all._

"Wait a minute," she pointed to him. "I know that look. That's the look of something bad, something important you have to say but you don't know how to say it. So what I want you to do is just spill it all." She was now turning the tables on him.

"Have a seat." He walked over to the table that they had sat at before. "It's that bad huh?'

Mac swallowed. "Just tell me what is on your mind. I can handle it."

"Samantha's…"

"What….? I just saw…" she sighed a long sighed. "What have I done?"


	36. Chapter 36

Mac sat down on the bed next to her.

"She's…. she's been kidnapped."

"What?" Angel let out a sigh of relieve. _That's not good either._ "When did this happen?"

"A couple of hours ago."

"Is she? Angel lowered her head in her hands again. "Is she dead?"

"I don't think so…from what the witnesses sad they took her to a park in Miami. That's all we have to go. He said "we" like we were together. Together like partners.

"But why Samantha and not me."

"I was hoping that you might know that." Mac told her the story about then men that were following them.

"That's terrible," Angel took a deep breath. She got to thinking about the car, the one that was in the accident with them. "That's why you never came back to get me earlier wasn't it?'

"Yes,"

"These men, how long have they been following you?"

"These past few days."

"You mean the time I showed up."

"Yes, as far as I can tell."

"These men, the ones who hit us…I'm getting to think that that was not a accident. I think they… that night…. We were hit…I think that it was…" she looked at him. "Murder? The…" he question eyeing her.

"The car crash I think that it was intentionally, but I have no proof, no evidence, nothing. They think that I died in the wreck and came when they saw me….oh,. no what have I've done coming back here?" she shook her head. "Don," she swallowed. "He might be in danger. I…."

Mac's cell rang. Mac swallowed.

"What is it?" Angel looked nervous. Maybe it was police telling them they found Sam's body or that is was the kidnapers themselves wanting ransom.

"I don't know the number." He pushed the speakerphone button. "Mac Taylor here."

"Good to hear your voice detective Taylor." _That voice I know who that is…that is the voice that I heard when I was a little kid….I will never forget it. _

Angel almost screamed. Mac had to slap his hands across her face to keep her quite.

Mac whispered shh….into her ear. She just nodded, so he let go of her mouth.

"What do you want Sonny?" Mac asked in the phone.

"I want the girl, the one you are hiding. I know you have her. An even swap." Mac knew that he would never get an even swap. He sighed. "My girl for yours."

"Where you want to meet?"

"Bring the girl with you and only you to Miami Greenview park. You have 48 hours or I'll kill Flacks sister, Samantha." Mac could hear someone gagging trying to talk. Then the phone went dead. Angel swallowed. _Now Samantha's life hangs in the balance. _

"Do what he says." Angel told Mac. "I started this miss. I'll clean it up."

"I…"

"Let's go we are wasting time here." Angel started towards the door.

"Wait." Mac took out his handcuffs.

"Is that really necessary?" he just nodded at her. She walked back towards him. She sighed, "Alright." Mac almost had them closed when he heard the faint sound of an alarm. "What? What is that sound?" Mac walked closer to the sounds. After opening it some the alarm got louder. Angel had to cover her ears.

"It's the smoke alarm."

"What?" Angel couldn't hear a thing with the loud noise rocking her. Mac felt the door that lead to the cell.

"Ow, it's hot." He turned to Angel. "Back in."

"We can't go out that way." She pointed the same way that she came in.

" I'm afraid not." Mac shook his head. Angel noticed that this time his face somewhat looked fearful. Something in his face told her that that he knew that they were in real danger. "We just have to wait." He sat on the edge of the bed.

"We don't have time. We have to find Samantha and fast."

"What are we going to do?" he asked his voice was filled with panic and she could tell that something was scaring him.

"We are not going to panic that's for sure." Angel said with confidence.

"There's a fire above us and you're not going to panic?" _what is going on with him? Is he afraid of fires?_

"Well," Mac placed his hand on the side of her face. He wanted her to look straight at him. "I didn't say I wasn't scared." She looked in Mac's eyes, she saw pure fear in them. He was scared, scared deep_. I've never seen an officer get scared before. Well one to admit it anyway. He must not like fires, that maybe his downfall. I have to be the brave one for the both of us if we want to get out of here. _

"Is there any other way out of here?" Angel asked finally able to break the intense glare.

Mac shook his head. "I don't think so…it's a storage place."

"There's always a trap door."

"Not always." Angel with one cuff still dangling around refused to just sit around there and possible die. She could smell a faint smoky smell. "Help me move some of these boxes out of the way." Mac didn't move a muscle. She saw that his hands were shaking some. "Come over here detective and help me. I need you help."

Angel and Mac kept busy moving box after box against the opposite wall.


	37. Chapter 37

"Danny what happened?" Stella asked as she hung up her cell phone. "I heard about the police building catching on fire."

"Mac's still in there." Danny sniffed. "You know how…" Tears flooded his eyes. "He gets…" he sniffed again. Stella put her arm around his shoulder.

"He's smart he'll get himself out of there."

"But what if…" Danny's sniffing continued. "I'm worried."

"Stella, Danny what happened?" Asked Hawkes as he looked at the now blazing building.

"Fire," Danny pointed out the obvious.

"We think that someone set the fire." Said one of the firemen as he raced by them.

"Who would do such a thing?" Said officer Jamerson, shaking his head. "What could be so important to hide in there?" Stella thought about what he said, _to hide…oh no not…that can't be where…_. shaking off the thoughts, she looked at Danny who was still sobbing sitting in the grass. _But what if that was the place where Chantelle was….I mean Mac didn't tell us but….I just….what if he was the target of the fire….what if Danny's right and he's still in there, hurt maybe even….Don't think that_ her gut told her. _He got out and is looking for you guys…_

"Are you guys ok? I heard about the explosion on the radio. I got here as fast as I could." Don bent down to check on Danny. When Danny looked up at him, Don asked. "Where's Mac?" Danny still shaken pointed to the building. "He's still inside." Danny just nodded. "What how can that be?"

"We don't know for sure, but he's missing." Stella added.

"What do you mean missing? How?"

"Last time I saw him…" Danny sniffed. "He was going down…" another sniff. "To booking."

"There's nothing down there." Hawkes called. "Is there?" Flack swallowed. He raced up to the yellow tape and when he thought no one was looking he went under the tape. He raced up the steps to the building's door, well what was let of it. A firefighter met him with his arms held out to stop him.

"No one goes in there, sir."

"My friend's still in there. I have to find him."

"It's too dangerous for you or anyone. We will send someone into there to look for him but…."

"But what…. get in there and find him before it's….before it's to late…."

The fireman just watched as Don wiped his hand down his face. _I hate to tell this guy but it is too late, anyone still in there well let's just say they were burnt to a crisp. There's no way someone who survive that._

"Almost there." Angel sighed. "Last ones." With a grunt Angel lifted her box and carried it across the small room.

"I can't do anymore.." Mac complained. "More…more smoke…is seeping in here."

"We better hurry then." Angel wasn't giving up. She had worked to hard to give up now. She was determined to find a way out of there. "I see it…"

"See what?"

"A door, and maybe a way out of here." All of a sudden Mac had a burst of energy. He picked up his step and quickly got the last of the boxes out of the way. _What got into him all of a sudden? The thought that maybe we would get out here. I just hope that whatever is behind that door is nothing like…. _Angel sighed. _But that's the only way we can go so whatever we face_

Mac picked up a big box and sure enough there was a door standing in front of him.

After getting rid of the box he had, he stared at the door. _Wow she was right…there is a door….there is fresh air…_ he looked back at the gray smoke starting to enter the tiny room. He pulled on the door but it was stuck.

"I can't get it opened. It's stuck."

"Let's both try to pull at it." Suggested Angel as she stepped up behind him. She placed her hands on top of his and they both pulled with all their strength. The door flung open with a loud pop. Both Mac and Angel lost their footing and tumbled backwards onto the bed. After getting to his feet Mac held out his hand to help Angel up.

"Sorry, I didn't know."

"The smokes getting worse. Let's go." She headed straight for the wide open door. "It looks like a tunnel of some sort." She placed her hands on the side of the walls. She felt the coolness and the wetness. _This is a tunnel to the sewer isn't it? Great fun at least it will be cool down here. _"It leads out into more tunnels." Angel turned to face detective Taylor but she didn't see him. She saw him looking at something in the distance.

"Detective this way."

"I heard someone coming."

"What there's no one."

"It's…." something hit the floor and smoke filled the room. Angel gagged. She covered her mouth and nose with the bottom of her shirt. She could only see a shadow standing over something. It was taller then the detective and hat a hat on. A fireman maybe but he was helping them, he was just standing there. She tried to look down at the ground where the man stood. _What is he looking at? The detective_. She blinked her eyes. _I can't see anything in this smoke. I can hardly breath. We have to get out of here._

"The jobs done." She thought she heard the man in the hat say and then he just walked away. She bent down, crawling on the floor. She saw something laying in front of her. No it can't be. It was the limb body of detective Taylor. She touched him. He didn't move. We are going to get out of here. Hold on. She dragged him by the arms to the tunnel. It's too dark to see anything but…I have to do this. She closed her eyes. That way I wont be to scared. I'll just think I'm sleep walking. She dragged the detective's body a bit farther then closed the door. "There we are safe." She touched the detective face. "Come on wake up." She placed her hand on his neck, trying to find any signs of life.


	38. Chapter 38

_His heart was still beating. That's good._ She touched his chest. She felt it go slowly up and down. _Breathing, some what slow but another sign he's alive._

"Detective," she pushed him some. "Come on." Angel laid her head down on his chest. _I….come on…you can't die on me….not now….I you have to help me…don't leave me too…I can't…I wont make it…._Mac started to cough. He blinked his eyes. _Why is still dark? Did I pass out…I…_he tried to shake his head. "Detective," Angel called looking up at him.

"What happened? Why is it so dark?"

"I tell you what happened later, we have to go." She took his hand and slowly helped him up. "We are in the tunnel, so watch your head."

"It's dark I can't watch anything." He laughed. "What about the fireman, I saw."

"He tried to kill us, he set off a smoke bomb or something."

"What kind of fireman does that?"

"Not one I want," she sighed. "I don't think he was with the fire department."

"You mean I was followed and the fire was intently set….to kill me."

"To kill me more like it."

"This tunnel we're in….where does it lead?"

"We…I was in a basement so I suppose we are underground. Maybe in a sewer, I don't know."

"Not one of my favorite places to be."

"You're telling me. I used to live in them all the time. Just keep to the edge and you'll be fine."

The fire was finally put out.

"Did you find Mac?" asked Sid who approached the scene with Lindsey.

"No, no one's told us anything." Stella commented, this time having to watch from the other side of the yellow tape.

"What was he doing here?" Sid pointed to the all most burnt to the ground building, which was still smoldering. Danny took his glasses off and rubbed his nose.

"He…we were here to um…." He sighed. "To see someone."

"Who?" Before Danny could answer Sid's question Hawkes came up.

"The fire crew said that they didn't find anyone in the building but the blaze at times got to hot for them too. So…."

"No….." yelled Danny as he got to his feet and started running that direction.

"Wow, buddy." The fire chief said. "It's not safe yet."

"Our friend…" Danny stared at the building. _Who can survive that? I want to see. I have to get in there. I…. _

"Our friend a detective was in there." Hawkes finished Danny's thoughts. The fireman chief pointed to the EMTs.

"You'll have to check with them for survivors. I don't know who's over there. But we didn't as far as I know find any bodies." Hawkes asked the EMTs but no one saw a detective Taylor.

"You might want to try with the first crew. They went to hospital already."

"I heard from one of the other officers that Mac went in the building, so where is he? Why wasn't he with Danny?" Flack came up to Hawkes to see if they had found out anything.

"He went to see a friend is what I got from Danny who is still shaken up about this." Stella said pointing to Danny talking to Lindsey by the van. "He said that a person from the bar gave them some info and Mac wanted to meet with someone first to see if it paned out."

"Something about where my sister is."

"I don't really know. After he calms down some we can get all the details."

"Stella, come with me, we will follow the EMTs over to the hospital. They might know something." Hawkes suggested. Lindsey talked Danny into letting one of the remaining EMTs to look him over.

"I have some buddies who might let us in the building…rubble I should say." Don commented.

"I'll come with you." Sid said.

"I don't…"

"Why wont anyone ever let me help?" Don felt bad for Sid. He was right no one ever let him join in. Don sighed. _But why does it have to be that…another pair of hands and eyes wouldn't hurt in this case. Just maybe he can be useful._

"Alright but don't say a word." Sid had the biggest smile on his face. _I hope that I don't regret this. _


	39. Chapter 39

Angel used her hands to grope the side of the tunnel.

"When does this end?" Mac asked, as he was led by the hand through the tunnel.

"Who knows? I don't." Angel pulled on him. "We just keep moving."

"I have to rest for a minute." Mac stopped abruptly.

"I'll go a little farther." She let go of his hand. Mac put his back against the slimy wet wall. _I hope this ends soon cause I'm so tired. My feet are sore and… _his thoughts were irrupted when he heard Angel shouting at him.

"I see light, I see light." She kept yelling.

"Where are you?"

"I went a few steps then around the corner to the left. Follow my voice." Mac ran around he corner almost running into Angel, but this time she had her hands up to stop him.

"Woo. Would you."

"Sorry I …."

"Got excited." She finished. "Me too. I heard people above us."

Mac cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hello." He yelled. "Help."

"What?" Came a voice. "Where are you? I can't help you if I can't see you."

"Down here."

"Mac?"

"Sid?" Mac shot back.

"Over here guys I found Mac."

"Where Sid?" Lindsey asked. "I don't see him." Lindsey not seeing him around bent down. "Mac?" she squinted seeing what she thought to be a person but wasn't sure. "Mac why are you down there?"

"We got stuck in the smoke. Can you get some help."

"They are coming Mac. Hold on." Sid announced his presents again.

"We don't have any where else to go." Angel said back.

"You're with a woman, how romantic." Sid joked.

"Sid…" yelled Mac. "Get us out of here."

"Sorry, they had to get…." Sid was cut off by the sounds of heavy equipment.

"They're busting us out." A few minutes later, the beginning of sunshine started beaming down on them.

"Stand back we almost have it open." A man appeared right over them. "Are either of you hurt?"

"Wet maybe." Angel said as she climbed the stairs to exit the sewer. She heard some laughing and knew right way that it was Sid. "It was funny wasn't it Sid." He didn't respond, instead he grabbed her and gave her a hell of a long hug.

Mac sat on the back of the ambulance van with doors open wide.

"I'm fine really guys." Angel said twisting her head. Mac sent one of his looks her direction. She sighed. The look told her that he was serious. "It's just a little cut." The EMTs pressed a gauze pad on it. "Can we go now? Times a ticking."

"What's she talking about Mac?" Stella asked.

"Um…" _should I tell them? It would only upset them and what about Don? He's already furious with Louis what would he do to the ones that really kidnapped Samantha?_ Angel shook her head. 'No detective' her eyes read.

"We, A…Chantelle." She smiled, _that was a close one. Real close_. "Have to go to Miami for a day or two. I…we found some more info."

"On her case?" Stella sounded excited. "I'm coming with you."

"Stella I don't…" Danny sees Mac with what he believes to be Chantelle.

"What? That's the friend you went to see." There was irritation in his voice.

"Yes, I had to hide her. When that accident happened in the morgue."

"My fault." Angel responded. Mac let that one slip.

"Then the accident with Don."

"My fault again." Repeated Angel. Mac glared her direction.

"Well, it was. All of this was my fault."

"Will you stop saying that." He looked over at her. "Anyway," Mac continued on. "I placed her in a safe place so I…."

"That's where you were? The booking cell." Mac nodded at Danny.

"I couldn't tell anyone where cause I was… we were being followed."

"No one was in the booking cell." Jamerson said.

"In the basement." Mac responded.

"The old storage basement?" Jamerson asked confused. "No ones used that in years. I even forgot about it."

"Yes, I know about it and used it to store some stuff."

"That's how they and you disappeared when I looked. One minute you were there and the next you were gone."

"I couldn't risk it. I had to get info."

"They found out."

"Yeah, me and Danny were followed."

"There's a secrete passage to the sewer system." Angel told all of them.

"That's how…" Stella joined in.

"We, thanks to Chantelle's willingness found away out before the fireman smoked us out." Mac swallowed. "She told me about her life in Miami so I was going to go check it out." Danny thought back to their talk with Tammy and what she said about Samantha's kidnappers bring here there.

"I'm coming along."

"Danny I…." Mac tried to protest once again but Angel nodded.

"It's ok detective, we might need another person but we…" Angel shifted her eyes to the sky. Mac knew what that meant. That it was getting late and if they didn't want to drive in the dark they better get going.


	40. Chapter 40

Things in italic size are the pages written in the notebook that was passed back and forth to Mac and angel.

After collecting some things at the lab the three were ready for their trip to Miami.

"Danny can you drive, I'm kind of tired."

"Yeah, sure." Mac tossed him the keys the SUV. Mac and Angel got in the back. They passed a notebook back and forth so that Danny wouldn't hear them talk.

Mac wrote: _"that's Danny Messer Louie, your dad's brother."_

"_What?"_

"_Your dad is fine, he's safe at the CSI lab station under guard."_

"_You fond him?"_

"_Yes, and it wasn't easy. Also your mother…"_

"_She's alive?"_

"_Yes, she works at the hospital her name…"_

"_She changed her name."_

"_Just like you did." Mac smiled at her. _Danny looked at the two of them in the mirror.

"What was that smile for Mac? You never smile. You must have found us a lead."

"Maybe something. Well some of these look good."

"_Like mother like daughter."_ Angel wrote with a smiley face next to it.

"_So how did you find her and who's died in our house?"_

"_That I don't know and we may never know."_

"I'm hungry you don't mind if we stop do ya?" Danny asked as they rolled down the highway.

"That sounds like a good thing to do." Angle commented. "Where?"

"Anywhere you particularly you want to go?"

"Pizza's always good." Angel shot back.

"Reading my mind." _That's weird. Don't read too much into it, she jus likes pizzas._

"Mac, do you care?"

"That's fine." He mumbled.

"You sound doubtful." Angel grinned. "I get it." She shook her head. "You don't like pizza do you?"

"It's just okay." Danny past one pizza place then another. Finally pulling into a bar.

"I thought we were getting pizza?" angel shifted in her seat.

"I changed my mind. I want a juicy burger with cheese fries and a beer." Mac without saying a word opened his door. Angel sighed, but a juicy burger did sound better then pizza. The dimly lit bar was nearly empty.

"Where is everyone?" Angel asked.

"They'll comin later. It's till early." The man at the bar called as he wiped down the top of the bar. "Have a seat."

Angel looked around. This was the first time to go into a bar. A big deer head was above the bar staring at her. She hated to see an animal die but didn't mind people who had stuffed ones. There were other various animals hanging on the other walls as well. There was an almost full-length mirror framed with old rusty license plates and even a jukebox. The floor had been redone Angel noticed. _Looks pretty good for being the fake oak flooring._ _It has that homey feeling to it._ So _why are we the only ones in here? Are more people coming? Cause it's kind of creepy. But then again…_

The food arrived in no time flat. No one talked as they slowly ate their food. _No one talks while they eat? Oh, well,_ Angel looked at Mac's watch it was getting later and later. She tried to calculate how much longer they had and if they were going to even get close to making it. _I hope that we can speed up some_…_then an image of Don and the car that was how we lost control and went spinning. that almost killed us. well, it did….Chantelle died that night. _Angel remembered the details like it happened yesterday._ I….we can't go thought that again but there's no way in hell that we are going to get to Miami in time no way. They know that though the kidnappers did that on purpose cause they knew that no one was that fast. But I have to try to get Samantha back. What do they really want? Is it the body or me?_ Angel sighed.

"I know what you are thinking." Mac placed a hand on her shoulder. Scaring her some. He felt her skin jump. "That there's no way we can make it there."

"Do you think that they will kill her?"

"Knowing Sonny," he shook his head. "No, he…." Mac didn't want to say it.

"He wants to kill me, I know but why?" her eyes darted up to see his reaction and once again see saw that hesitated look. I know why, his eyes told her.

"Detective you have that look again. The one that tells me that you know something else. What do you know?" Mac blinded. _She knows me too well._ _Now that's scary._ He rubbed his chin. He was about to tell her but his cell phone rang. He swallowed. He took it out of his pocket and stared at the number on the screen.

"I don't recognize the number."

"Put it on speaker." Mac laid the phone the bar and sighed. He pushed the button for speaker.

"Detective Taylor it's good to hear from you again. Where are you?" came the voice of Sonny.

"We're on our way to Miami."

"Did you bring the girl?"

"I'm here." Angel answered as she lean forward over the phone.

"Good anyone…"

"Just the two of us but…."

"I'll give you another day but then…." Click went the phone line.

"Who was that?" asked Danny from behind them. He just came back from the restrooms.


	41. Chapter 41

Mac jumped and swiveled around to face him. He hated when people just walked up behind he like that. It always scared the crap out of him. He has told his team not to do that to him.

"We should tell him…" Angel suggested seeing Danny's worried face.

"Tell me what?" Danny picked up another beer bottle. After drinking a few swigs, he looked at Mac. "Mac what's going on? What have you two not told me about this trip?"

"Sit down and I'll explain about the call." Mac told him as much as he could. He told Danny that the kidnappers had contacted him and wanted to make a trade.

"That's why you didn't want Stella or Flack to come with you."

"It was just suppose two be us." Mac glared at Angel for her saying that.

"Yes, I didn't want them to come." Danny drank the rest of his bottled beer.

"Then why me?" Danny scratched his head. Angel swallowed.

"Cause you know who these men are."

"Oh, no. Mac, tell me it isn't so. You don't think…"

"Yes," angel sighed. "I'm afraid so, they attacked once in the lab. It's….them."

"What about my brother," he motion to the bartender for another beer. He thought about the interview that Mac did with his brother. _Mac said that he believed him but now…._

"Is he…..?"

"By what he told me earlier, no." stated Mac staring at Danny. He was concerned that he had too much to drink already.

"They're after me." Angel added.

"But why? I don't get it."

"It's a really, really long story." Angel was hoping she wouldn't have to tell all but….

"So you know them too." Danny was now looking her straight in the eye.

"A little."

"Are you?"

"Oh, no." Angel waved her hand around and shook her head. "No not part of them."

"But you know them?"

"Yes," Angel sighed. "My mother knew about…"

"Was your mother?"

"No she…"

"Do you even know who your father is?" Angel knew how drunks acted and Danny was well he was on the edge.

"Danny," Mac yelled.

"Don't fight."

"We need him…"

"What to drive….he's too drunk."

"Did I hear you say that Danny's too drunk? I hope that he's not driving." Mac heard

Stella's voice.

"Huh?" Mac looked around thinking she was there with them. He saw no one so he checked his phone. Nothing. "Tell me that he's not driving Mac." Mac noticed that the voice was coming in the direction of Danny_. His phone, he must have answered it not knowing it. But were does he have it. Which pocket?_

"Um…no we're um…." Mac leaned over closer to the voice. Danny didn't seem to notice that. He just kept drink his beer and eating on what was left of his 2nd hamburger and fries.

"What's wrong Mac?"

"Oh, nothing. Everything's fine." He hated to lie to her but he didn't want to set off alarms over there.

"We just…." Mac started but was cut off by Angel.

"We are at a bar and it seems Danny boy here," she put her arm around his shoulders.

"Has had a little too much to drink." She grabbed a fry from his plate. He looked up at her but did nothing.

"Another beer." Danny called. Not even paying attention that Stella was even talking.

"Oh Mac…."

"We're doing good. We have it under control. Trust me."

"You know I do but….I know how drunks can be."

"If I need anything I'll call you guys."

"All right but…." Mac could hear Stella sigh.

"Trust me Stella we're fine."

"And so are you." Danny shouted now taking the phone out of his pocket.

Mac grabbed the phone. "Well, you guys be careful." After saying their goodbyes. Mac shook his head. "Now everyone there knows."

"That I'm drunk….yippee." Danny held up his bottle. " Cheers to being drunk." He tapped Angel's empty water glass.

"We should get going." Angel suggested.

"The keys, Danny." Mac held out his hand palm up. He thought that Danny would hand over the keys but….

"Over my dead body." He shouted at Mac.

"Give me the keys." Mac voice was raised, he was sick of this game.

"And I say no." he jingled the keys in his pocket. "Come an get them old man." Mac was getting closer to Danny. He had his hands ready to grab him by the collar.

"Detective don't."

"We can't waist anymore time." Mac shot at Angel. Then he looked at her and regretted that he raised his voice at her. It wasn't her fault that Danny was acting like he was. He was just upset at Danny getting drunk while he was supposed to be working. They had business to take care of and he was acting like a fool.

"Hand over the keys now!" shouted Mac really irritated this time.

"Or what? You'll hit me." Danny taunted back.

"If I have too."

"You want to get down and dirty huh?" Danny stood up motioning for Mac to come and

get him. "Bring it on. Let's see what you got."

"Don't, both of you. Stop it now." Angel got in between the two of them just as Danny threw a punch at Mac, hitting her in the face instead. Angel hit the floor.

"Danny, look what you did." Mac bent down to see if she was all right. "Are you?" Angel shook her head trying to get rid of the dizziness. She sat up and blinked a few times.

"I might have a black eyes but I'll be fine." Danny sat back down in his chair at the bar like nothing happened. He picked up his beer and started to drink again. Angel got an idea. Angel reached up and took his bottle, while the two of them fought over the mostly empty bottle, Mac reached in Danny's pocket and got the keys to the car.

"Give me that back." Mac nodded and held up the keys. She let go of the bottle. Danny knew that the way she just let go that it was all a trick to get the keys from while he was distracted. "No, fair you two gained up on me."

"Hands behind you back sir." Yelled an officer behind Danny.

"You called the cops?" asked Mac glancing at the bartender.

"Sorry sir, I have a no fighting, especially a woman," he smiled at Angel. "Policy here. It's for their safety."

"But, I'm fine." Shouted Danny knocking over his chair as he got up. Mac showed his badge to the officer who had his hand on Danny.

"My friend, he just had too much to drink. Come on Danny let's go." Mac hoped that would be enough to smooth things over.

"I wont go. I want." Mac shook his head. "I want another drink." Danny shouted.

"Then I have no choice." He hated to do this to Danny but what other choice did he have. He took out his own pair of handcuffs from his back pocket. "Put your hands behind you back." The look in Mac's angry eyes told Danny he must do it. Danny swallowed. He did so without incident. After apologizing for the outburst and fight to the cop and the bartender, Mac led Danny in handcuffs out of the bar.

"Detective you look really tired you want me to drive?" Mac sighed.

"No, I will." He got in the driver's seat. Angel got in the front next to him.

"Mac let me out of these handcuffs." Danny yelled. "I…."

"Not yet."

"But I have to pee…." He whined.

"Well, you shouldn't have drinking so much."

"But…"


	42. Chapter 42

Flack paced back and forth in the lab.

"Stop that." Adam said. "You're going to wear a hole in the carpet."

"We don't have carpet." Flack shot back. He was getting in one of his moods, one of his angry monster moods, one that he got when he didn't get enough sleep.

"Why don't you go home?"

"And do what?" Don sighed. "I can't sleep, my sister's out there somewhere. She could be hurt or even…." He didn't want to go there but he like all cops knew that kidnapped people usually die within the first 24 hours. He closed his eyes and sighed a long sigh. "You know the last thing I said to my sister," a tear slid down his face. "We had a fight. I went…."

He sat down in a chair next to Adam. "I went to see her. She wanted nothing to do with me." He placed his hand up to his face and started sobbing. "I never got to tell her I was sorry. I…" Stella walked up. Seeing him crying she put her hand on his shoulder. He placed his hand on top of hers without looking at her. "I never got to say goodbye."

"And you wont have too." He took one last sniffle then glanced up at her.

"You know…."

"You know when they say you can feel someone die. Well, I feel just the opposite. I have this weird feeling in my gut saying that she's still alive."

"You think!" Don sounded excite but only for about a second. "But where, that's the scary part. I mean we don't even have a clue to know where to look."

"Why don't you go home and get some rest." Adam suggested again. "There's a couch in the morgue."

"I'm not going down there." Stella saw that Adam was getting irritated with Don.

"Well, let's go get some coffee then." Stella suggested. Thank you. Adam whispered as she led Don out of the lab.

Stella and Don walked down to the small eating area for the lab. Stella got two coffees and they found a table to sit at. Don sighed in heavily. She knew that Don was tired she was too. _When was this thing with the Tanglewood boys going to be over?_ _Would their lives get back together so they could function like they used too. _

"So tell me what was the fight with your sister about."

"Oh, my sister." Don sighed. He put his hands around the coffee cup. "She came to the hospital looking for Mac."

"What? Why?"

"She said she was helping him. Some top-secret thing she wouldn't tell me. I told her it was too dangerous for her. She hit my shoulder and told me to mind my own damn business. She told me that I was controlling her life. I just want to protect her." He held up his arms. "I mean this is no game. These people, who are after us whoever they are, they are dangerous. They tried to get Chantelle and whoever gets in their way…" he looked at her. "Well, they get hurt. I don't think that they will stop until they…" He swallowed. "Kill her." he shook his head. "My sister thinks that I'm controlling but what if…." He sniffed. "She told me to stay out of her life….but I….I can't. I love her too much. I've seen to much working in this job that…." He started crying again.

"Why would she tell you that?"

"I guess it goes back to when we were kids. See I was how do I say this the 'good one' in my parents eyes. I guess she thinks that I'm trying to make her like me."

"Are you?"

"No, well I don't know. I want her to realize the dangerous situations when I see them. I want to protect her. I guess it's just a brother thing?"

"She's sees it as butting into her life."

"Yeah well look where that got her."

"Got who?" Lindsey questioned as she walked into the eating area.

"Lindsey, I thought you went home." Stella turned to look her direction.

"I…." Stella could tell that she was still on edge about all that has happened to them.

"I was down in the morgue talking to Hawkes and Sid. Any news about Danny and Mac?"

"Not to much. They were eating at a bar. Mac said that everything was fine." Stella didn't mention to them that Danny was drunk.

"I hope Danny behaved himself. When he gets stressed he likes to drink and I mean a lot." Don commented. "And it's not a pretty sight to see him drunk."

"Why don't you pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee." Stella suggested to Lindsey.

"I can't with the new medicine that my dr. gave me but I'll sit and talk." She sat her unzipped purse on the floor next to Stella's chair. Stella looked down at her purse and the bottle that was hanging out. _Prenatal vitamins. She is….a smile crept across her face. I didn't even know that she was dating. We never talk about of love lives but this….this is something that I would shout from the rooftops._ "I thought the dr. told you to rest?"

"I'm. I just can't sleep. I mean I try but….I.."

"I can't either," Don said. "Every time that close my eyes I see my sister. There's got to be something I…"

"Ut um…" both Lindsey and Stella coughed.

"We can do. Sitting around her…it's not getting us any closer to finding her."

"Maybe Mac will have some luck."

"I sure hope it's fast….you know…." Don didn't get to finish his sentence before Hawkes ran up to their table.

"I found out some news about SanRina Belvona."

"That's the dead guy with the axe in his head?"

"Yes, that was him. Anyway," Hawkes went on, "he was part of a gang…."

"The tanglewood boys." Stella finished for him. Hawkes nodded.

"We found that he had the tattoo removed." He showed the picture to Stella. "But Danny told us that once you're in you never get out."

"Maybe that's why he ended up with an axe in his head." Joke Don.

"Maybe he tried to get out. I mean we had one die like that before." Lindsey added as she remembered the case. Don thought about that case to how Sonny was talking to Danny about how they, talking about the tanglewood boys, would never go to prison. _Is that who has my sister? If they did could Louie be involved in her kidnapping? I have to know. I have to get answers and fast. _

"Is that who kidnapped my sister? That SOB." Don shot up out of his chair and took off down the hall.

"Wait, Flack…." Hawkes yelled as he ran after him.

"He's going after Louie, come on."


	43. Chapter 43

Danny kicked Mac's seat this time to get his attention.

"Come on Mac. I have to pee." Danny whined.

"26 more miles." Mac grinned.

"What?" Danny sat up. "You got to be kidding me."

"You want him to suffer don't you?" Angel shook her head. She turned to face Danny who was squirming in the backseat. "The next rest stop is the next exist."

"All right I'll pull over." Mac sighed as he got off the highway. Mac undid the handcuffs.

"There," he said. Mac was still pissed at Danny. Danny stumbled into the men's room.

"Do you need any help?" Mac asked he followed Danny in.

"No," Danny shot back. As soon as he said that, he tripped and fell. He fell face down on the cold hard tile. "I found a penny." Danny joked.

"A penny for my thoughts." Mac took the penny from Danny's hand and helped him to his feet. "Use the handicapped stall, since you are." Mac helped him over to the stall.

"And don't take all night." The two men finally came back to the car.

"What took you two so long. Did you have trouble?" Angel laughed. Danny got in the back without saying a word.

"Sorry," Angel shrugged her shoulders. "What's with him? It was only a joke."

"Don't mind him. Here." Mac handed her the keys. "Just keep on the highway. To Miami."

"Here," she opened the backdoor. "Drink this."

"A gallon of water?" Danny asked confused.

"You know that that will make him pee more." Mac had to point out the obvious to her.

"He can always pee out the window." She said laughing.

"Don't give him any ideas." Mac commented shaking his head.

"I don't want to deal with someone who's hung over tomorrow. Drink all of it."

"All of it! What's so special? It's just water."

"True, but it's magic water." she smiled, "then you can pee in the jug."

Don found Louis sitting at Mac's desk with his feet propped up. Adam was talking to him. _How dare him sit in Mac's chair and with his feet on his desk like that._

"Tell me where my sister is you SOB." Louie shook his head.

"I don't know." Louie straightened up the chair.

"But you knew it was your gang and you didn't tell me."

"I didn't know and I don't know." He shot back as he stood.

"You're lying to me."

"Flack you need to calm down." Adam said staring at him.

"Screw you." He shot a glace at Adam. "Stay out of this." Adam decided he would back away some. "If she dies," Don pointed a finger at Louie, "I'm coming after you."

"Don," Don turned to see Hawkes standing there. "He knows who took my sister."

"Maybe they did."

"You knew?" He sounded shocked. "And you kept me out of the loop."

"We don't have any proof that they did." Don sighed.

"How can my friends not tell me? I thought…." He moved his eyes from side of the room to the other side. Looking at the three men.

"Wait a minute." Hawkes swallowed. "That's why Mac went to Miami."

"I don't know anything about that." Hawkes shook his head. "I swear. He didn't tell me anything about his trip. I found out this morning from Sid." Don raced back out in the hall. Hawkes called Stella to warn her that Don was on a war path and he was heading to Miami.

"Road trip." Stella called as she hung up her cell phone.

"Where?" asked Lindsey. Who, was still with Stella in the eating area of the building.

"Miami."

"Never been can I come." Stella saw Don racing for the door.

"I'm going to find him and when I do I'm going to kill him."

"Who? Mac?" she questioned as he walked by her and Lindsey.

"No, the SOB who took my sister." Don shouted with anger.

"We need to think about this."

"You can Stella but I'm leaving."

"Not without us you're not." Stella said, "and not without these." She held up the keys to the other SUV. She grinned. "I'll drive." Don sighed and gave in. "Al right."

Hawkes finally caught up to them.

"Adam is staying here with Sid so we can go too." Don rolled his eyes.

"Fine, let's just go."


	44. Chapter 44

Angel shifted her eyes to look at Mac. He was softly breathing. _A sleep I see, good for you. You really needed it. And you… _she looked in the mirror at Danny. _Just need to behave. I wonder if you brother's anything like you. I hope not. _She sighed. _Will I even get to meet him? I mean this detective _she glanced back at Mac, _guy he made good on one of his promises. I finally got to meet you my uncle but you don't know who I'm. That's okay you will someday. That's the day I'm going to you back…_she touched her eye that did in fact turn black. She winched. It still hurts. _I'm going to get you back._

Not many cars were on the highway with her. "Over the bridge, down in the valley to gramma's house we go." That repeated in her head a few times. _What? Where did I pick that up from._ Angel looked out the front window to see millions of beady eyes staring at her from the side of the road, deer it has to be. I just hope that they stay where they are. Danny stirred in the backseat; she could hear a zipper being pull down. _What's he doing back there. Oh yeah…_angel thought _the water….and the jug. I would have stopped if he had just asked._ She chuckled to herself. _I bit that was a sight._ She saw the gas can on the dashboard light up. _Time for gas stop I see._ _The next one I see I'll stop._ I hope there is one cause we have been over 400 miles already.

She slowed the car down at an exit that had gas stations_. One is as good as any right?_ She pulled into a circle k gas station. No moment from either Danny or Mac.

_I hate to wake him up_. She sighed. _He looks so peaceful._ "Detective," she gently poked Mac's shoulder. "Detective,"

Mac blinked trying to focus "Are we there?"

"Not yet needed to gas."

"Oh right. What time is it?"

"It's early. And we were running low of gas. I…"

Mac got out of the car. Mac wiped his hands down his face.

"Why did we stop?" asked Danny now moving around in the backseat.

"We needed some gas and I needed something to eat. I had a sugar rush." Angel placed Mac's cup of coffee in his cup holder and her a coke. Danny sat up.

"How's you head?" she asked him.

"Fine why?"

"You got drunk last night."

"I don't remember." Danny had his hand on the car door handle.

"I'd pull up my pants first." She laughed at him. Danny looked down and shook his head. When he looked back up his face had turned red. He grabbed his pants and pulled them up.

"Was i…?"

"I have no idea what you did back there. I was driving. Mac was a sleep the whole time so…" she handed him a cup of coffee. "Want a cup coffee?" he took the cup. "Thanks, and…."

"I wont tell." She bent down and held up a box, "want a doughnut?" she handed the box to him. Angel saw the jug on the floor half full of a yellow liquid. "I see that you did pee in the jug." Danny picked up the jug. Angel laughed at him.

"Not funny."

"But it helped you hang over."

"True, how?"

"True magic," she smiled. "Simple but true chemistry."

"Where's Mac?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Paying I think."

"He's taking a awful long time."

"I'll go check on him."

"No I'll go." Danny got out of the car "I need to stretch some." He went towards the building. Inside the building he, didn't see Mac anywhere. _Not again. How come he's disappeared again? Where to this time?_ Danny walked up to the front of the store, where the check out line was.

"The man that just came in here." The woman one behind the counter points.

"Went to the restroom I think."

"Thanks." Danny, didn't know that he was being followed, by the man who had just drugged Mac. With a rag in his hand he waited for the perfect moment. He reached up and covered Danny's mouth and nose. Before Danny could react he went to his knees.

"Good job, two down and one to go. Put him with the other guy."

The man who drugged Danny lifted Danny on to his shoulders and went out the back door unseen.

"What could be taking them two so long." Angel looked at her watch. "I should go check on them." Angel was about to go walking across the parking lot when a car pulled up next to her with its windows down.

"Can you tell me how to get to Davis Street?"

"I'm not from here. Sorry."

"Thanks anyway." A man walked up behind her. Angel turned around quickly thinking she might be in danger.

"Excuse me miss," the man said in a friendly tone. "Maybe you can help me get my gas cap lose." Angel stared at him for a minute. "My car's right here." He pointed.

"Sure, I can see what I can do." She walks with the man.

"See, I can't get it to turn….it's stuck." Angel places her hands around the cap and

twisted it. As she was doing this the man that had drugged the detectives walked up behind her. She feels a rag on her face and then everything went black.

"That was too easy," another man said. "Put her in the car with the others then let's finish up here."


	45. Chapter 45

Stella looking out her window pointed. "That's Mac's car."

"What?" asked Hawkes as he turned to look at her.

"Down there at that gas station."

"Are you sure?"

"I know our cars." Flack switches on his lights and swings in the median, making a u-turn in the grass.

"You better be right about this Stella."

"I'm." She insisted. Flack exits the ramp where Stella saw Mac's car.

"That's one of our cars." Hawkes stated. Flack knew that was one of theirs when he got closer to it.

"Why is the door open?" he shook the thoughts that were running through out his head.

"Mac wouldn't do that?"

"Something's wrong." Hawkes got out of the car. "Stella…" she was already out of the car. She turned to Hawkes and he saw the horror on her face.

"That's…" she pointed.

"That's…blood and a lot of it." Don exclaimed.

Hawkes swallowed. "We don't know…"

Don saw drag marks in blood, leading to the building. "This way." He called to the other two. Stella saw the trail of blood. She had to turn away so she wouldn't puck.

"Is that…."

"I don't want to know what's at the end of that." Hawkes said shaking his head.

Lindsey just stayed in the car unable to move. She was remembering what she had witnessed when she was a kid. When all her friends were gunned down, now she was reliving it all over again. She sniffed. She would have been all right if Flack hadn't had shouted that he found a body. Hawkes and Stella raced inside the building.

"Face down behind the cash resister." Don just stood there.

"Is it?"

"Haven't checked." Don swallowed. He started to step forward but Hawkes yelled.

"What?" Son stared over at him.

Hawkes told him to put on gloves first. Stella turned her head away.

"I can't look." She said. Flack touched the body, "it's…he's dead." Hawkes slowly turned the body over. "It's not them." he shook his head. "Cashier maybe… he's been…cut open…."

"Too much info," Don turned away. "I'll…" He started to walk towards the bathrooms. He stopped again.

"Oh, know…" Stella knew that he had found something else.

"Don What is it?"

"I hope that I don't find another body," he pointed to the men's room. "In there."

He slowly pushed the door open.

"Hello…" he stepped around the trail of blood. He bent down next to see if it was still wet. He was pretty sure it was. He ran one of his gloved fingers in the blood. _yep still wet. So it to is fresh._

"Anyone here?" He called out.

"You don't have to go in there, I already call the Miami crime lab. They're on their way."

Don shook his head. "I have to know."

"Don," Stella called from behind him. Hawkes understood why he wanted to go see for himself.

"I have to do this," Don said staring back at the two of them.

"Is it..?" Lindsey joined them. "Is it them?"

"We don't know yet, but Flack wants to know." She knew what that felt like wanting answers. Don stepped slowly forward. He knew what he was going to find behind the stall doors. He was bracing himself. He got the courage to pull the first door open. A male body lay with his head face down in the toilet. _What a way to go._ He turned the head sideways…..


	46. Chapter 46

A chill surrounded Angel as she sat in the darkness. "Burr…." She tried to mover her hand. It was stuck. _A chain?_ She thought, _how….._

"What the…." She pulled again, this time with the other hand still the same thing. This time she could hear the chains rattle.

"It's no use…." She heard Danny say somewhere in the darkness to her right.

"Where are we?"

"In the dark."

"Very funny," she laughed at him. "I mean….."

"We are in chamber of some sort." Mac called from her left. She tried to look that way but it was two dark to tell how far away he really was.

"We are in a storage unit and it's not that bad." Samantha said.

"Samantha?" all three said in unison.

"Mac? I forgot the other guys name and…"

"Yeah it's me" Angel shot out before she called her name out.

"Now that we are all here. How the hell do we get out of here?" Danny commented as he tried to pull the chains out of the wall.

"We wait…." Mac said.

"You know that's not my strong point."

"I know I hate it too…."

"Hate what?" came a voice as a small slither of light entered the room. A tray slid across the floor. It contained a loaf of bead and a pitcher of water with four cups probably dirty ones at that. "Eat up, cause that's it." The door closed.

"What?" Danny questioned. Samantha was able to see enough to find the tray and slide it towards her.

"It's dinner." She opened the bag of bread and stuffed a piece in her mouth. "It's what I've been eating for the past two days."

"What?" Mac questioned trying to look at her.

"Yeah, it's not much but it's something." Samantha stabbed another piece in her mouth.

"We have to get out of here…..before…."

"We will." Mac tired to reassure all of them but was it enough to convince himself.

_This is going to be a long wait for us. Can I make it?_ Mac sighed as he reached out in the darkness feeling for the tray.

Don came out of the restrooms to meet two CSI agents.

"What do we have?" Detective Wolfe asked.

"Two dead bodies," Don started to explain. "one male, one female in there and one male behind the cash resister."

"And who are you?" Horatio Caine asked staring at Don.

"Don Flack NYPD." He held out his hand.

"Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade Crime Lab." He shook Don's hand. "That's detective Delko," who waved from behind the counter. "And detective Wolfe, the one that's in the restroom."

"This is detective Bonasera, detective Hawkes, and detective Monroe." They all shook Caine's hand.

"We are missing two of our detectives,"

"Their car's out there but…not them." Stella commented. Don sighed.

"I thought that might be them…." he shook his head. "But it wasn't."

"There's still no sign of them." Added Hawkes.

"Are you the only one that walked in here?" asked Wolfe.

"Yes, the trail starts from detective Taylor's car."

"As in Mac Taylor?" asked Caine.

"Yeah you know him?" Don questioned Caine, looking up at him.

"I worked a couple of cases with him. Great guy."

"He is that." Stella shot.

"You think they were kidnapped."

"Really I don't know? Anything's possible. They were coming down here to find my sister who we know was kidnapped."

"We need to get your story," Frank said as he opened his little notebook.

"No problem." Don told them the whole story as he knew it to be.

"Let's start with that one." The man sitting in big stuffed chair pointed at the monitor. He was pointing at Danny. All covered their faces when the roll up door began to lift, and light started to pour into the dark room. Danny blinked as he thought he saw a man walk

towards him.

"Are we saved?" Danny whispered.

"Don't count on that." Mac shot back.

The bodyguard walked up to Danny, and placed his hands on Danny. "Bring him over here. Closer so I can see him." The man grabbed him by the arms lifting him up.

"Walk." Danny sighed. The man walked him so that they were in front of masked man.

"Down on your knees." Danny swallowed. The bodyguard place and held a gun to the side of Danny's head, touching skin. Danny blinked hoping that he would wake up from this, but that didn't help. He swallowed for the 100th time. He thought it might be his last. Sweat beads started to pop up on his face. _What is going to happen to me…to us… _behind him a few feet away Angel was thinking that she had to do something, anything to get them out of there. _What have I've done…they _she looked over at Mac_, don't deserve this…I got them into this and now….my uncle and his friends are going to die for it. I have to think of something._

"Who are you?" asked the mask man. _Now, is my chance_. Angel thought.

"I'm De…."

"His my uncle Dewalt." Angel yelled at the top of her lungs. Mac cut his eyes her direction. _What is she doing? Is this another one of her…..it's a trick isn't it. She…..just full of them. but what if….._ "He's a truck driver." Angel called.

Danny thoughthe was a dead man_. _He was waiting for the bang on the gun.

"Since he travels a lot," Angel swallowed. "I thought he might know a short cut or two. He…." _What is she doing trying to get me killed faster?_ _They're not going to buy this story. _Danny swallowed again. He felt the hairs on the back on his neck stand up.

Angel blinked, hoping her story was working. She was flying by the seat of her pants on this one. "He was our driver. He was supposed to drop us off. I thought if we came with him, no one would follow us." Mac had to give this kid some credit she had guts. _Who would do something that drastic? _

The man in the mask looked at Danny. "Bring her here." _Oh no_ Mac thought _he's figured out that she's lying to him. But wait she was only half lying he is her uncle. Danny just doesn't know it yet. _ Another bodyguard brought Angel and placed her kneeling on front of the masked man. She looked up at him. "So he was just a decoy?"

She nodded and swallowed. She looked at Danny then back to the masked man.

"Yes, he was supposed to leave us at the park but we…we ended up here. I ….." the masked man looked at Danny then back to Angel. _Please work, please work,_ her mind kept repeating. She blinked her eyes. The masked man nodded at his bodyguard. The bodyguard withdrew the gun from the side of Danny head. He swallowed hard. _It worked. I can't believe it_. _It bought us some time anyway._ His gut told him. _This is far from over._

"Get up!" the bodyguard grabbed him by the arm. "On your feet." Danny stood there. Angel could see that he was shaking all over. _Now what's he going to do to him? I hope that I didn't make things worse? _The masked man continued to stare at Danny. _They do look a like some. Um….he doesn't know anything why should I keep him._ _I'll have my wild dogs tear him apart._ He nodded to the bodyguard again.

"He doesn't know anything so we don't need him anymore. Send him out." _Send him_ _out? _Angel thought._ What? That can't be good. What are they going to do shot him?_

"Throw him outside. Now go." The masked man pointed at the door. The bodyguard opened the door to the outside, untied Danny and pushed him. Danny lost his balance and went down. Went down hard.

"Now get out of here." Danny found his glasses even though broken put them on and walked away. "This has to be a trick of some short." He murmured to himself. "How am I going to make it out of here? What about Mac I can't leave him." He glanced back towards the house that he came from but the door was closed. Something in his gut hurt.

Something was nagging at him, but what. He spotted a car. "I…I shouldn't but…" he went up to it, "it's not like…it's going to be unlocked." He tried the door handle anyway. To his surprise the door opened. He looked inside the car to make sure there was nothing that would pop out at him. "why would?" he scratched his head. He sat down on the front seat and sighed.

"I can't believe that they fell for the trick but why would she say that….that I was her uncle." He shook the thought. "She just made that up to get me out of there. Nothing more." His gut wrenched. "I feel…. something some kind of connection. Na, it's nothing just to much stress." He ignored his feelings. "How am I going to get Mac out of there?" he stepped from the car. "I have to go back." _Are you crazy? _his mind told him. _If you do you die. _

_But, what about Mac? I can't leave him. _He walked a step before seeing Mac being thrown out of the house as well. Mac turned around to face the front of the house.

_What's he doing?_ Danny thought. _He's thinking about his gut feelings like you should._ Danny shook his head. He watched Mac start back towards the door. "Mac don't." Danny wanted to yell but his voice was quite. The door slammed in Mac's face.

Danny was able to find his voice again. "Mac, come on." he shouted. Danny thought he saw something behind a tree. He thought something was watching them.

Mac just stood there taking one last look at the house. _Now she's on her own I can't help her._

"Run Mac, Something's out here." Mac heard something growl and he took off running towards Danny. They both jumped in the car. With tires screeching, they sped off.

"There," Mac pointed to a dirt road like area in the woods. Danny turned in there. Dirt went flying into the air covering his view. He slowed the car down. Mac opened the glove box and retrieved a pair of binoculars.

"What do you see?"

"Some kind of shadow…" Mac focused on the shadowy like thing coming closer to them.

"They are angry looking dogs Danny and they don't look to happy to see us." Mac swallowed.

Mac looked around with the binoculars. He saw a man walking up to the door.

"Sonny's here." Someone shouted.

"That was close. If he knew we were there…we I know that I would have a bullet lodge in my brain right now."

"I hope that they don't do that to Samantha."

"I know but what can we do now…I mean…"

Mac swallowed. "We wait…" he sighed, "even thought that's not what I like to do."

"Me neither. I have to be part of the action." Danny commented.

Mac watched through his binoculars. He watched Sonny come back outside with the two bodyguards and the masked man. They were escorting Samantha and Angel to the limo that was parked in front.

"There are on the move." Mac watched to see if any other cars went with them but there were none. "Follow them but not to close. Wait. They're headed to the park so." Mac stopped his thought in mid sentence. To Danny that meant the Mac was thinking.

"You want me to sit here a few minutes."

"Yes, 15 minutes actually."

"What?" Danny looked at Mac with confusion on his face. "Then they will be gone, way gone."

"They are looking for something in the park. We have to let them get a head start first. We can't be seen following them. They might kill Samantha."

"Are you sure?"

"Do you trust me?" Danny swallowed.

"Yes, I do." That was the first time that he admitted that to Mac.

Danny watched as the vicious dogs surrounded the car, growling and foaming at the mouth. "How do we get past those?" he pointed out the window.

"I know that you love dogs and all but…." Mac sighed, for he too liked all kinds of dogs but these…"just hit them."

"You mean you want me to run over them? I…." One of the dogs jumped onto the hood of the car, bearing it's sharp teeth. Danny hit the gas petal.


	47. Chapter 47

"Get out of the car." Yelled one of the bodyguards holding up his gun. He thought just cause he had a gun that he had all the authority in the world. Which, to Samantha and Angel he did. "Now, come on and show us where."

"Where what?" Samantha questioned.

"Where is she?" Samantha didn't know what he was talking about. _She? Who she?_ Samantha scratched her head.

"Chantelle," the bodyguard called, "where is it?" It took a few seconds before Angel realized that the man was talking to her. "Well, I'm waiting. I know you know…" he grabbed her by the arm and squeezed her. Angel blinked in pain.

"um…" Angel had to think and quick. "Back to the left."

"Now that wasn't so hard." He left go of Angel.

The men walked to the left side of the park and found nothing. "Maybe it was on the other side." Angel admitted.

"You better no being lying to me." The masked man said in his gruff voice, which made Samantha's skin crawl.

"I'm not." She swallowed, "none of this is the same. The trees have changed over the years, walkways and benches have been added."

Angle sighed. What was she going to do now? She couldn't remember that far back. To find the exact spot that was like finding a leave among the trees. "Let me think for a minute." She spun around. She took in her environment.

Then she spotted the spot she thought was the one that they were looking for at the far end of the park were some benches were now added. She pointed with her head, "That direction. The far end of the park where those people sit on the bench. See them." Sonny used his binoculars to look. He nodded at his bodyguards "wait till they move."

The people left and Sonny and his men forced Samantha and Angel in the direction she told them.

"That's the tree." Angel nodded.

"Are you sure." Samantha whispered.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Start digging." he told the bodyguards. They took out shovels from under their coats and started to dig. Angel's mind: _That's why they were wearing coats. I thought that was weird for them to be wearing coats_ _in this heat_. The hole got bigger and bigger in front of Angel and Samantha's eyes: Still there was no body. Angel was getting worried that they had the wrong spot after all. But then….

"I got something." One of the men called. "It's what we are looking for. The body…"

the man in the mask walked over to see if it was a human bone.

"That's not Angel's bones."

"What?" Angel asked. "How?"

"Angel had multiple broken bones none of these have been," as the man lifted some of them out so Sonny could see them.

"You can tell that." Sonny asked as he touched the bones. "they're to small for me to noticed."

"Yes, I can tell but I can run a test but they….."

"I found the skull." The other man called as he held it up by the jaw line.

"The head…" the masked man took it from the bodyguard. He turned it over and over in

his gloved hands. He shook his head. "This head it's too….it's to big to be hers."

He turned it over again. "There are no marks either. If…" he looked at Angel, who swallowed. "If they died in a trauma they would have the markings."

"Hey, look at this." One of the men walked up to the guy, still wearing his mask. "It looks like these bones have been burned. Why would someone?"

The masked man put the bone to his nose. "I smell burnt flesh as well." Samantha thought she was going to threw up right there.

Angel bent here head. She could feel her guts being ripped from her body. Tears started to run down her cheek. She could see in her mind the body of Chantelle on fire, there was nothing she could do for her. She sniffed_. I'm sorry my friend. I couldn't help you._ She left the tears fall. She nodded towards the wooded area. Samantha nodded back. Angel took one step then another.

"That's not the right body." The mask man turned to Sonny. "That's not Angel's body." He threw the bones back in the grave.

"You lied to me." Sonny turned to Angel.

"No," Angel shook her head. "That's where I….she was buried."

"That's not her." He pointed back at the bones in the grave.

"Run." She shouted to Samantha. The both of them took off towards the woods. They stopped on the edge of the cliff. They were surrounded. The guards grabbed them holding tight digging their nails into the girls flesh.

"Should we shot them?" asked one of them.

"No that will bring a crowd." Sonny said. "Just push them off into the water. They wont survive that fall, much less the water."

"Hold on Samantha, I hear sirens coming."

"Now," Sonny shouted. That's what the men did. Pushed them hard off the cliff……


	48. Chapter 48

The current swept the girl some.

"Hold on." Angel was able to get out of her ropes. "I can't…" Sam went bobbling up and down as the current picked up. Angel was struggling to get to her.

"Can you get the ropes free?" Angel thought she saw Samantha shake her head no.

"I'm coming." Angel dove under the water. Samantha felt her hands come free.

"Angel?" she called but heard and saw nothing. "Look out a waterfall." Samantha started to swim against the current. She thought that Angel was right behind her. She made it to the side of the bank. She heard people screaming at her. "Don…." Samantha screamed when she saw him. Her brother reached out and took her by the hand. But the current was too strong for him to hang on to her. His fingers slipped. "No…" She went underwater. "Samantha." He swiveled his head around. He didn't see any signs of her. "I'm coming." He ripped off his jacket and jumped in after her.

"Don," Stella screamed as she heard the slash of water. "The waterfall."

"He's headed straight for it." Lindsey pointed out.

"There's no way." Don grabbed his sister's limb body and dragged her to the side of the water's edge. "I'm letting go of her now."

"I need help." Don held his sister in his arms. "Don't you die on me. I love you too much." He kissed her on the cheek. "My baby sister…" he started sobbing. "Wake up. I'll never forgive myself." He held her face to his. "I…" he sniffed. He thought he felt her move some but thought it was all his imagination. She felt strong arms around her.

"Don," she whispered. She blinked. He shook his head. _Now I'm hearing her voice. _"Don, is that you." He looked at her.

"Sam?" She blinked her eyes.

"I…we…"

"Shhh. Don't talk." He hugged her tighter. "Where's my help." He shouted over his shoulder. Stella and Lindsey raced over to them.

"Down here. We have another one."

"No…." Samantha screamed. "That's…." Before she could finish her sentence Mac raced in the direction of where the voice came from. He knew that they had found Angel.

"The waterfall." Samantha called. Tears slid from her eyes. Don rubbed her face.

"I know." He bent his head closer to hers. "It's going to be ok. She's going to be ok." Don knew that that was probably a lie but for his sister's sake. _There was no way that someone could fall down a waterfall and be ok._ He sighed.

"We have to go down there." She tried to get up but was aching to much so she laid back down.

"You're staying right here with me."

Mac saw a crowd gathering next to a coroners van. Hawkes waves him over. "That's..." he points to the ground. He shakes his head. "She's messed up. You don't need to go over there." Mac sighs and walks over to see her anyway.

Hawkes sees Mac. "He never listens." Mac bends down to see her body up close. "Mac you shouldn't touch the body." Hawkes blinked. Mac placed his hands on her face. "I know but…" he swallows. "I can't help it." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breathe.


	49. Chapter 49

"I'm sorry I couldn't…." he sniffs, letting the tears flow from his eyes. He places his hand under her head and lifts it some. She starts to coughs, "what the?" he turns in the direction that Hawkes who was walking back the group.

"Hawkes, I need help! Get help now." He turned her head to the side not knowing Hawkes was right in the line of fire. "Cough it up."

Angel coughed and coughed. Spitting all over Hawkes shoes. He jumped back. "Man, my new shoes." Mac grinned up at him.

"You owe me." Hawkes points a finger at Mac. "We need to sit her up. Slowly."

"Dizzy…" Angel murmured. "My head…" Angel's eyes start to roll back.

"Stay with us now." Hawkes commented.

"Why so dizzy? Why so wet?" Angel shook her head side to side to see if that would make the dizziness go away but it just made it worse.

"Let's get her to the hospital." Mac looked up in time to see the police coming with Sonny.

"Lay her back down." He instructed Hawkes.

"What?" Hawkes turned his head slightly to see the police coming.

"Play dead." Mac instructed Angel.

"What?"

"Just stay still."

"Why? I…."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she nodded. _I hope that he knows what he is doing?_ She laid her head back down and she lay there so still. Sonny with three other arrestees walked passed them, smiling.

"I told you not to mess with me Detective Taylor. I always get what I want, no matter what." Sonny laughed an evil laugh. That irritated Mac even more.

"You killed her!" Mac shouted as he got to his feet.

Sonny just laughed again.

"No one, not even any of you, can stop me."

"No but I can." Said a voice from a tree house just above them. "Yeah you got what you wanted and now it's my turn. Eat this you SOB." looking through the tree braches, she lined up her target, took aim and fired. Bang, bang, bang, bang. Shots rang out everyone hit the ground while birds flew from the trees and the dogs below started barking loud as they raced into the woods.

"What's going on?" Hawkes asked after it started to get quite again. He slowly got to his feet.

"The dogs they just went crazy." Said one of the officers following them. "And the arrestees just dropped dead. Gun shots to the head. We think the shooter is in the woods."

"Dead? What?" Hawkes questioned as some cops and Danny came racing over.

"Someone shot them all, out of the blue." He yelled. "What's going on?"

Hawkes wanted to see this for himself. He went to check the body of Sonny, who had a hole in his head. "Nice shot." He said to himself as he turned the body over. He found that the four of them where shot by some high-powered gun. But where was this shooter? And why didn't anyone see them? He got some of the EMT's to get the bodies in the van to take to the morgue.

"Strange I know." One of them said who was dressed in scrubs.

"Who's next?" A younger woman questioned looking around.

"Are we safe?" asked another nurse.

Hawkes went back over to help Danny and Mac.

Mac with Danny's help got Angel to her feet. She tried to walk but stumbled.

"Your worse then Danny when he was drunk." Mac smiled.

"Geeze thanks." She glanced at Danny then back to Mac. Hawkes seeing them struggle brought a gurney by. "Here sit her on this."

"But…" Angel tried to protest.

"Now." Mac said in his stern voice. She sighed. _I should be used to him doing that by now. _She shook her head.

"I saw that. You will do what I say."

She grinned his direction. "Fine," she huffed as she sat down on the hard gurney.


	50. Chapter 50

"Reversed rolls uh…" uttered the nurse as don walked up to the counter. "Your sister's in 201 Flack." She pointed.

"Thanks," he smiled

"No problem cutie." Don opened the heavy door to his sister's room.

"I see we reversed rolls this time." Don joked with his sister.

"Funny," she tried to laugh. Shaking her head she started to ask when could she get out of there.

"Tomorrow."

"Did they find Angel?" she swallowed she knew the odds of finding her were not good but she had to know. She took a deep breath waiting on his answer.

"Angel? What where?" Don looked confused. _She must be confused Angel died yrs ago_

Sam looked up into her brother's eyes. "She's dead isn't she?" a tear trickled down her face. Sam sniffed, "She saved me…..again…." she started crying uncontrollably.

"What? Again? What are you talking about?" _now I know she's confused. Angel couldn't come back from the dead…..but what if…..don't go there his heart told him. Don't relive the pain….of loss…..I _

Don swallowed _I already am….the dreams…what do they mean….is angel…..still alive…..or am I kidding myself._

Sam sighed long and hard bringing Don out of his thoughts_. It's time for you to be honest with him and tell him the story….her mind told her._

"Don there's something thing that I have to tell you."

"What is it?" He cut his eyes her direction. "It's something bad isn't it?"

"Well, not all of it…." She went on to tell him the story, as she knew it.

"That's why I had those dreams about Angel she's….." _Don had a flash back of a young girl smiling at him sitting in the bleacher at his high school baseball practice. The innocent smile, that lead the both of them to the old locker room._ A smile kept across her brother's lips. Sam knew that he was hiding something.

"What gives," Don shook his head.

"Come on brother spill." Sam glared at him. She wanted answer.

"Just remembering."

"You remember her, you hardly knew her."

"I knew her more then you know." Opps he said that out loud.

"What?" _wait _she shook the thought, _he didn't mean…._ She put her hands up in a stop motion, like that was going to stop him from talking. "I don't even what to know,"

"We….."

"You didn't….." Don didn't answer her. That usually meant a yes,. Sam shook her head.

"When?" Don sighed he would have to tell her now. He sighed again this time longer.

"When I was a…..sophomore…."

"You slept with her! You slept with my best friend!" she shouted at him. "She was just a kid.. that's…….."

"What are you trying to do make me feel worse." He lowered his head. "I know that now…I ….." he swallowed he was about to tell her the secret that only the two of them knew. "I saw that she was upset…."

"So you thought be sleeping with her would make her feel better."

"I…." he got up from his chair and started to pace. "We kissed…." He looked back at his sister.

"Where?"

"The old locker rooms, it just felt right……she told me that she had a hard final…and I told her that it would be alright……"

"So you took advantage of her emotions….."

"I….." he swallowed, "I never thought of giving her a kiss was taking advantage of her….it….."

"So you couldn't stop there you had to keep going…." Sam turned her face from her brother to look out the window.

"We…." Don closed his eyes, "we had sex end of story….i….."

"In the locker room?"

"In the showers…."

"That's why she was late meeting us?" she looked at her brother who still had his eyes closed. "She was getting it on with you."

"She didn't mention that she was meeting you….."

"I can't believe this, the two of you went behind me back……" Sam stared out the window again. She closed her eyes trying to remember that day…_now that's why she had wet hair…._.she shook the thought…she looked back at her brother and saw that he was definitely out in space with his own thoughts. _For her not to not tell me…..that hurts….even for him not to tell me….i wonder what would have happened if she…._she sniffed again. Don saw his sister was starting to get teary eyed again.

"I had nightmares about her for years after that…." Don went on. "I…"

"Did you love her?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I mean….did she make you happy?"

"Yes….I don't know….it was cut short….maybe…"

"But what if….."

"If she was….I don't know…." He sniffed. "I wouldn't know what to do….I wish…" the

door opened and a nurse walked in. Hawkes came in.

"How are you?" he asked, in a cheerful mood.

"Tired," she glanced at her brother that meant that she wanted to be alone.

"Well, you need you rest." Call the nurse, and with that Sam rolled over facing the window. Don walked out the door with Hawkes.

"I better let her sleep….did you find Angel's," he swallowed. He knew what the answer was going to be. But was he ready. "Did you find her body yet….so I can bury her again…." He sighed and started to cry… "I can't…." he sniffed…..

"You don't have to Flack," Hawkes patted him on the shoulder.

"What?" he looked over at his friend Hawkes shocked.

"You don't know…."

"Know what?"

"She's in room 321."

"Wait…I thought…."

"She's still real sore, she still has a long recovery, she suffered a collapse lung and broken ribs but they say she should be just fine."

"She survived?"

"Well, with Mac's help…" something on Don's face lit up with delight. "Go see her just….."

"I know…." Don raced up the stairs and out of sight.


	51. Chapter 51

Don stood outside of the door, _am I dreaming this….I mean how…._

He slowly opened the door, _if this is a dream I don't want to wake up from it._ He shut the door softly. Angel lied so still, so peaceful. He lower his head and gently shook it. _I…just do it. His heart told him. She's…._

Don held Angel's hand. A feeling surfaced inside her, one that she hadn't felt in years. _The first time that I felt ….the first time that I had such intense feelings like this was…._

**Flash back****:** _**Angel looked into his eyes, those eyes that took her breath away and almost stopped her heart. He slowly touched her face. A giggle escaped her lips as he ran his hand down the side of her face. She was unable to look away unable to see anything but him. She rapidly blinked her eyes. His hand lifted her chin and that was all she saw but she felt her a soft gentle kiss on her lips, that sent a warmth spreading through her like a wild fire. Even though the kiss only last for a moment but it was long enough for her to know it felt right. Leaning close as he possibly could he slightly pushed her against the metal lockers, his body inches away from hers. She knew that what ever this was wouldn't last but for now she would just let go and go with the flow of things. He pressed his mouth onto hers again but this time lower on her neck. "this way…" she heard his voice say. They headed farther into the locker room towards the showers. "I don't know…"**_

"_**Nothing's going to happen if you don't want it too…"**_

"_**But I…..I think I want it too…." Running his hands over her shirt she let out a moan. **_

"_**I…."**_

"_**Yes," he locked lips with her again.**_

Heat began to arise deep inside her bones. Angel, in an emotion that she couldn't put a name on….something she thought was dead and buried was now back and back with a vengeance. Angel's fingers began to twitch. Don looked up at her. Her eyes slowly opened. Don stared for a second, _How could I not have known that it was her. Those eyes, I ……should have known…._he looked down at the two of them holding hands. _The feeling…. _Angel blinked a few times.

"Don?" she closed her eyes. "Where am I? Am I dreaming?" Angel shook her head with her eyes still closed.

"No, it's me…Angel." He placed both his hands around hers. "It's me." He sniffed.

"Why am I here?" she looked around. "In a hospital."

Hawkes walked in.

"I see your awake, how do you feel?" Angel smiled.

Don sighed. _I know how I feel. You have bad timing….I …. ._He got up and left.

"Don't leave on my account." Hawkes called.

"I'll be back." He winked at Angel just before the door closed.

"What was that all about?"

Angel just shook her head. "I wish I knew. He's just a friend…." _Just a friend, are you kidding yourself._ Her mind told her. _He is more then that and you know I feel something deep_ _down here _her heart told her. _Something warm….something amazing.._

"A really good friend…" she smiled.

Hawkes knew those kind of smiles one that told him that she was in love with Don and they had a secret.


	52. Chapter 52

Mac called the station and told Adam to bring Louie to the hospital. He told Adam to tell Louie that Danny was in the hospital. _That will get him here._ Mac sat down in the waiting room.

"My brother, where's my brother." Louie screamed as soon as he came through the double doors.

"Louie," Danny called. "What are you doing here?"

"I came cause Mac told me that you were in the hospital."

"I was at the hospital not in."

"He told Adam in…I came cause I was…." Louie hugged his brother.." I love you." Mac saw the two brothers hugging. _Now, that I got them here, I can tell them about Angel. _

Mac walked up to them.

"Louie, Danny can we talk?" Mac questioned.

"Are you going to arrest my brother?" Danny questioned. Hoping that if Mac was going

to not to do it there.

"No just talk." Mac swallowed. "I want to talk to the both of you." He pointed to the direction on the smaller waiting room off to the side. Louie started walking that way.

Danny sighed. "Haven't we had enough excitement for one day?" Danny sat down waiting for Mac's to get on with whatever he was going to say. He just wanted to get out of there and go home.

"I have…." Mac started but Don burst into the room.

"Mac we need to talk, why didn't you tell me about…"

"Samantha told you didn't she?" Mac said looking up.

"Yes, I.." Don shook his head. "I don't know what to think."

"I wanted to tell Louie and Danny first."

"They don't know?" Don stared in direction of the two brothers.

"Know what?" Danny twisted his head fast to glare at Mac. "Tell us what?"

Don looked at Danny then at Louie then to Mac. Mac swallowed.

"That your daughter Louie is alive."

"What? my dau…." Louie got up from the chair and went to the other side of the small waiting room. "Where? Can I see her?"

"You have a daughter!" Danny was shocked. This was first time he heard of this.

Danny glared at his brother. "You never told me." he voice was getting louder.

"I…I didn't know until my girlfriend told me then"…Louie sighed tears fell from his face. "She wanted me to stay away cause…" he blinked, "it was better for the both of them….well back then I thought it was…" he closed his eyes and sighed. "then the…" he lowered his head…. "Then the accident happened….the murder of my girlfriend/ fiancé, there was no sign of my daughter so I never thought about it….I thought both were murder….the police they didn't care if gang members killed each other just one less to worry about….I feared I was next….I…" Louie said trying to explain to his brother.

"You hid it from me……all these years?"

"Yes, I wanted to pain to go away…..I didn't want to put you in this….I was afraid they might come after you………."

"So you swept it under the carpet………like they were nothing…….." Danny turned his head away from his brother.

Louie lifted his head to look at his brother. "That's not true." He got closer to his brother… he wasn't much taller then Danny now they were face to face…….. "I found blood splatter all over my girlfriends/fiancé's house. All over the walls…..all over the ceiling…….a big pool of blood still wet I might add on the floor….." Danny swallowed. "I was sick…….I never looked back. I regret it everyday………I carried the guilt for almost 12 years now…..I never forgave myself…. "

"So you were just going to keep this a secret."

"Well," Louie started. Mac had to do something to change the subject, to get them back on track.

"Danny you meet her already." Mac jumped in changing the subject back to Angel.

"What? when? I been on this case with what's her name…" he looked at Mac. Mac nodded. Both Danny and Louie sat down side by side while Don and Mac sat across from them.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Mac told the two of them the whole story.

"You didn't tell us earlier about the name switch."

"I had to make sure I didn't want to make assumptions. I had to follow the evidence."

"You mean…Chantelle….Angel is my niece."

"Yes, I did the DNA test myself, I also wanted to tell Louie that Amy is alive too."

"My fiancé what? But who's…."

Mac shook his head, "I have no idea, we may never know that." Danny watched his brother's expressions. _I should forgive him….but why not tell me….he was young and in that gang…..I see his point he was protecting her._

"If the two of you can be clam, I will let you see her."

Danny smiled at his brother as they got up. Danny grabbed his brother and hugged him.

"We can do this."

Angel lay in her hospital bed. Her head was spinning. _I finally got to see Don again and all he did was run out, why?_

_He's still likes you but doesn't want to admit it. Her mind told her._

_I…._ she sighs softly.

Danny and Louie stood outside her door in the hallway. They stared at Angel then at each other. Louie turned to look at Mac.

"What do I say to her? I mean it's not like she knows who I'm."

"She doesn't know me either." The three men turned to see a blond nurse who was walking down the hall with Don.

"Amy?" Louie couldn't believe his eyes, was this really her. He blinked a few times to make sure that he was not dreaming. "I…."

She didn't answer him. She grabbed him into a hug. "I…" he tried to talk again but lost his train of thought. Tears flowed from his eyes. "I…."

"shhh…just hold me." She whispered to him in his ear.

"Our daughter…." He sniffed.

"She has a couple of broken ribs and has suffered a collapsed lung but she's a fighter." Hawkes told them.

"And a black eye, that was from me." Danny confessed. "I hit my own niece, when I was drunk." He looked over at his brother. "I'm….I'm sorry."

"You can go in and see her."

"I…." Louie started.

"We will together." Amy took Louie by the arm. "This way."

"Wait." Louie pulled her closer. "I'm sorry…" he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. She responded to him like no time went by. Louie's kiss still curled her toes and intoxicated her.

"Let's do this." He swallowed.

Louie and Amy went in the hospital room.

"Angel…." Angel didn't move, she had her eyes closed. "Angel," he called a little louder. Still nothing. He shrugged his shoulders and Amy gasped. He faced the window. Mac got really worried when he saw the look of horror on Louie face. Flack glanced at Mac and knew that something wasn't right.


	53. Chapter 53

Don raced to the nurse's station at the end of the hall almost running over Adam.

"Why are you running?" Adam asked worried.

"Angel…" Don began.

"Angel was fine a minute ago, she was listening to my ipod"

"What?" Don stopped at stared at Adam.

"I let her listen to it, while I made my phone call. Why was that wrong?"

Don slapped him on the back hard and raced down the hall.

"Where's the nurse." Mac asked.

"No need for one." Don burst in the room. He taped Angel on the shoulder, who opened

her eyes. She smiled up at him and said hey. She took the ear pieces out of her ears.

"Adam let me borrow them. I was listening to….I don't know."

She noticed that Mac had also walked into her room. "Hey, detective good to see you again. I take it that the two of made it alright." Mac nodded.

"Remember how I promised to help find your father."

"You found him, you found him." Angel sounded excited as she clapped her hands together.

"I did…" Mac nodded at the window.

"He's here? I…." Angel tried to get up. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Ah…." Both Amy and Louie came into the room. Angel started at them. "Mom?"

"Oh sweetie." Amy ran up to the bed.

"Careful…." Angel blinked a few times. _Am I dreaming again? I….. _"I….I don't understand. I thought…."

Amy sniffed. "Me too. I thought the same thing." Angel's eyes went to the only other person still in the room.

"Dad?"

"Yes, that would be me."

"Give your daughter a hug, Louie." He smiled, came closer to Angel and hugged his daughter for the first time. Amy got on the other side of her bed and hugged both of them.

"We are a family at last." She whispered.

"It's a good start for them." Mac said standing outside the room in the hallway next to Hawkes and Sid standing.

"I think I'm going to cry." Hawkes cut his eyes in Sid's direction.

"Sid."

"It's just so…" he sniffed. "I…" everyone was now looking at him. "ok, we see death

everyday. To see a family reunited back together….it's…."

"Don't go soft on us Sid." Stella called as she put her arm around him.

"It's….it's beautiful."

"You're thinking about your family aren't you." Sid nodded.

"He's right, it's priceless…." Sam called.

"Samantha what are you doing out of your bed?" her brother asked as he walked up to her.

"I came to see how Angel was." She glared at her brother. "The nurse was the one that told me she was….." Samantha went up to the window of the room. Looking through the glass she saw Angel laughing at something Louie said.

"She's…."

"Just fine." Danny commented carrying flowers and a stuffed teddy bear that said get well on it.

Lindsey rubbed her stomach. _That would be nice…a family a real family._ She sighed softly. _But….I don't think that will happen with us…._

He will come around….just wait once he finds out about me….we will…..we will be happy.

Stella watched her friend. _What's going through her mind seeing this? Something about the way she looks at Danny is…..na, but what if……don't go there Stella that's none of your business just be there for her. _

Danny waved at them all to come in. Mac caught the end of their conversation, she heard Amy say that she would do anything to protect her family. _Was she the shooter at the park? Or if not she might know who it was, but Louie was with us. um….would she go that far? He played the scene in his head. She was conveniently there at the end with two_ _other nurses could they? But without any proof of anything I can't…..i guess we will never know. _

A nurse walking by saw all the people in Angel's room.

"Family only."

"This is my family." Angel pointed. "My mom, my dad, my uncle, his girlfriend I suppose…my…."

"All right I get it but tell them they can't stay too late."

"They won't." she smiled. "You can trust me." She wiggled her eyes brows.

_Where have I heard that one before?_ She shook her head.

"Your family?" Stella asked as the door shut.

"Yeah, I gained two families tonight. Not just a mother, father and uncle here but…." She smiled at everyone. "I mean….all of you."

Sid looked like he was going to cry again as he walked up to the bed. He swallowed.

"I don't think I can have her as my intern anymore." He sniffed.

"Oh," Angle lowered her head and sighed. "I knew I screwed up."


	54. Chapter 54

Sid held her hand and smiled at her. "I want her as my new assistant permanently."

"What?" everyone questioned.

"That is…." Sid glanced over at Mac. "If…." Angel looks at Mac.

"I don't know….." Mac started….

Angel put a pleating look at him, one that melted his heart. "She has caused a lot of trouble for us…." Angel swallowed she knew that he was right but…it wasn't all her fault was it? _but she did help get rid of some pest for us and helped you be stronger…..his gut told him._

"Should I? um…." Everyone was starting over at Mac. He looked over at Sid who had a worried look on his face. He winked at him. "What do you say?"

"Me?" Angel asked.

"What do you say? Will you stay?"

"Would I stay!" she shot back at him. "Why of course, I would! You know that!"

"Just making sure." He laughed.

"Now with that settled, Sid." Angel said staring up at him.

"Yes," he swallowed. _Now what? is she going to demand a lot of stuff from me?_

"Are you ever going to finish the your story about the man with the axe stuck in his head on Halloween night…."

"Oh, yeah." Sid started the story again. "It was in 1989 on Halloween. A stormy

Halloween as a matter of fact…. I was working late…."

"Some of us have to get back to work." Mac interpreted him looking at his team, smiling. All leave the room as Sid continues telling Angel the story.

"I see Sid's got a friend for life." Laughed Hawkes when they were walking down the hall out of sight.

The end…..


End file.
